Fatal Attraction
by Nefertari17
Summary: Yami and Yugi's love bubble is about to burst into flames all because of a new student that is definitely catching Yami's eye...but he's not quite all he seems...and he wants Yami back, no matter what the stakes.
1. Chapter 1

Lookie what I got! A new fic!

And guess what? It's a sequel to 'Should I cheat.'! Isn't that great? I got so many requests to make a sequel to this past fic as so many things could happen from then on. And now I have a fantastic idea for a sequel! YAY! EVERYONE CHEER WITH ME!

Anyway, this fic could probably stand on it's own as a story, but still, I will be making several refernces to 'Cheat' so if you want to understand this new fic, I suggest you read my other one first.

Now, u all must know the rules by now so I'm not gonna go into too much detail.

Sakura and Yue from card captor Sakura are in this fic too, along with Krysta and Leo who are my creations, and all four live with Yami and Yugi. All their past lives are intertwined and I will go into this later in the fic with authoress notes so u don't get confused k?

DISCLAIMER – I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH, CARDCAPTOR SAKURA OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS, BUT THIS FIC AND THE STORYLINE ARE COPYRIGHTED TO ME, SO NO STEALLING, UNDERSTOOD?

Enjoy! Review please!

Fatal Attraction

It was such a nice morning. Just perfect for two fifteen-year olds and four seventeen-year-olds to walk to school together…

…especially for one couple so hopelessly in love…

…some might think anyway.

"GIVE IT BACK!" Yami yelled furiously.

For a moment, Yugi froze - then burst out laughing.

"You're so cute when you get all demanding and pharaohy." Yugi said giggling.

Yami glared at him, his vivid crimson eyes blazing in the morning light. "That's not even a word! And I'm not cute!" He lunged at his Hikari. "Give it back!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh as Yugi darted behind Joey, already twirling away as Yami surged towards him yet again. The incredibly cute scene was all too familiar to the group. The couple were renowned for their adorable games that just seemed to encompass the whole world, just like their love did - somehow it just radiated out to all who were near them.

Then again, that love can so easily be pushed aside during a game.

And in this particular one, Yami had somehow scored himself a coffee accented chocolate bar and Yugi had managed to nick it before his Dark could get a coffee high that would no doubt result in someone getting very sick tomorrow and damage costing well into the hundreds.

"Seriously Yami," Yugi protested, ducking behind Krysta. "You know what you get like when you have coffee! You're unbearable!"

Joey and Tristen cheered as Yami caught hold of Yugi's jacket - only to lose his grip as Sakura suddenly poked him in the side, making him giggle adorably.

"Hey!" Yami said whirling around to her.

Sakura shrugged innocently. "My hand slipped."

Yugi laughed as Yami sighed in defeat, the Light now safely behind Leo's impressive form as the twenty-one year old suddenly walked out of the Game Shop and onto the street with the others.

"Yugi, give it back!" Yami exclaimed again, choosing not to even try and take on Leo and glare at his Hikari instead.

"Or what?" Yugi teased, his big amethyst eyes shimmering mysteriously as he peeked around Leo's six-foot, well-built form. "You'll smite me with your magic? Or maybe you'll beg and plead with me for your nice little coffee bar…"

Yami glared even more at him. "How about I threaten you with no sex?"

Yugi faltered.

And the other teenagers fought back giggles and blushes to match.

"I'll take this," Leo said, plucking the chocolate bar out of Yugi's unsuspecting hand.

"HEY!" Yugi and Yami cried in unison.

"Hey what?" Leo replied raising the bar high enough out of shorter boys' reach. "Neither of you should have it. Yami goes nuts over coffee and Yugi goes insane over sugar. And either of you on a rush is catastrophic to anyone around you. It only makes sense that _I _take it."

Yami and Yugi stared at him, utterly scandalised.

"But -" They started.

Leo gave them his world famous 'I'm-more-powerful-then-you-two-so-don't-even-think-about-challenging-me' look, that practically screamed the defiance and sheer power held by a protective older teenager.

And they quickly quietened down.

"Stop being such a big brother, Leo." Tea scolded him.

"Yeah, I get it too much already. Look what you did," Krysta added. She gestured to the scandalised boys. "They're not even trying to fight back anymore."

"That's not the reason," Yami said defiantly crossing his arms.

"Yeah," Yugi added trying to think of something witty. "He's just - really tall."

"And he's older then us," Yami pointed out. "And more powerful then us - so it's disrespectful. Plus we used to be related."

Joey grinned. "You know, you can't just make stuff up. Or use your past lives either as an excuse."

Yami and Yugi threw matching glares over at him.

Leo smiled seeing their pouts. "How about I keep the coffee bar, and I bring back dessert tonight? Strawberry shortcake right?"

"YAY!" Yugi cheered, instantly perking up again.

And just seeing his bouncy Hikari back was enough to put a smile on Yami's face.

"You guys really should know better then to go against Leo." Tristen commented idly. "You'll never win."

Krysta smiled. "Or brandish any sort of sweets in front of my brother. He has no will power when it comes to them."

Leo beamed, making his azure blue eyes sparkle. "You better believe it."

The teenagers laughed as they shook their heads, knowing exactly how unpredictable and generally cool in an odd way Leo was.

"I wasn't brandishing it," Yami shot back. "You weren't even supposed to know." He stared at Yugi. "How did you know it was in my bag anyway?"

Yugi smiled angelically as he jumped into his lover's arms. "A little birdie called Bakura told me."

Yami's jaw dropped. "He told you he gave it to me?"

Yugi nodded, he frowned slightly, studying his Dark. "But he didn't tell me what it was you did for him, that made him nice enough to buy it for you in the first place…and I just can't forget how much he was laughing himself senseless while he was telling me…"

Yami blushed.

"What's this?" Joey asked, suddenly very interested.

"What did you do?" Sakura asked curiously.

Yami's blush deepened. "Nothing." He looked away, his voice quietening. "Goddamn bloody tomb robber, I'll get him for this."

Smiling, Leo broke away from them, pocketing the chocolate bar and checked his watch.

"Aren't you kids going to be late for school?" Leo asked, taking the black crash helmet off his sleek black and blue motorbike. "What're you waiting around for?"

"Tea's taking her time in the bathroom," Yami said, deciding to leave the seething over his lost coffee/chocolate bar and choosing to make out with his boyfriend instead.

"There she is," Krysta said. "What took you so long?"

Tea sighed, finally joining the other teenagers. "D'you have any idea how many identical doors leading to different rooms there are upstairs? I completely forgot which one was the bathroom and spent ten minutes trying to find it."

"That's the magically stretched corridor," Yugi told her. "It's been like that for three years - you still don't know your way around?"

Tea made a face at him. "Evidently not." She flicked back her short brown hair, her gaze settling on Yami and Yugi, still locked in each other's embrace. "Incidentally, is there a reason there's a pot of coffee and a big pile of pixie-stix on your desk Yugi?"

Instantly the boys blushed bright red, and there was mass dropping of jaws.

"Hey," Leo said good-naturedly, mounting his motorbike. "Don't say too much, there are still innocent minors around."

"Who?" Sakura asked, adorably oblivious.

"Are you working late today?" Krysta asked, quickly changing the subject.

Leo nodded, revving the engine of the bike. "Probably, Marisa wants the DB9 fixed by tomorrow, and the idiot owner's majorly screwed around with that gorgeous car."

"You'd better be careful with Marisa, Leo," Tea said warningly. "Yesterday when we went to your garage, she was all over you."

Leo smiled. "That was Alice; Marisa's a little more discreet."

"Well with you as the chief mechanic no wonder all your mechanics are gorgeous chicks." Tristen commented. "They're all vying for you, you realise that don't you?"

"Are you ever gonna tell them you're gay?" Yugi asked. "Cos I don't think they're gonna stop -"

"- trying to bed you." Tristen finished.

"Yeah, that," Yugi said blushing.

Leo shrugged. "I think I'll just leave them, personally I think they like playing out their material on me." He sighed. "Besides I have more practice letting girls down then guys."

"That's true," Joey agreed. "We're a whole lot more pushy."

"And I guess you still have to keep Yue a secret too," Sakura added.

"Hang on a sec," Joey said suddenly. "Did you say DB9?"

Leo nodded, already knowing what was coming next

"The Aston Martin DB9!" Joey and Tristen exclaimed. "No way!"

Leo chuckled, reaching up to snap his visor closed. "Yes way. I get to work on it and test drive it round the track. So tell Yue I'll be late, he's still asleep at the moment. See you kids later - and get a move on before you get locked out. I'm not gonna bail you lot out every time you're late."

The teenagers waved goodbye as Leo's bike roared of down the street.

"Leo's so cool…" Joey said dreamily. "God, I wish I had a motorbike."

"Yeah…" Tristen sighed. "He's so good looking he gets all the girls, he's top mechanic and race driver _and _he has the most incredible motorbike - I am royally jealous!"

"I still really want a bike."

"Then why did you buy a car?" Krysta asked as they began to walk to school.

"I thought a car would be more cool." Joey said dejectedly.

"It's a nice car though," Yugi said helpfully. "Even Leo liked it; he fixed it for you for free."

Joey looked sad. "It's a corvette though…not a DB9..."

The girls sighed as Tristen joined in on the forlorn look.

"Well a DB9 isn't as good as the new Ford GT." Krysta commented. "I mean, the DB9 is hugely pricey, its specs don't equal a fair price even if it is a great car to drive, it's just the coolness value that makes it so desirable - you might as well get a Lamborghini Diablo or a Classic Jaguar E-Class for that amount of money. They perform okay, but are just cool cars to have. If you want a real performance car you'd be better off getting the Aston Martin DB7 or the Ford GT for a few thousand less."

Everyone gave her a shocked look as she began to walk off, completely oblivious to their stares.

Sakura giggled, seeing their stunned stares. "Leo's fascination with cars is kinda catching."

Shaking off his surprise, Yami felt his mind gradually begin to wonder as Yugi and Sakura bounced on ahead of them as they a;; began to walk again, talking excitedly about all the possibilities they could do for their media studies project. And as he gazed, he couldn't help but think about how great life was.

After fights, amnesia and 'killer' squirrels he had finally gotten everything he had ever wanted - namely, Yugi. God, Yugi made him so happy, even throughout all the hardships they had gone through to finally get together, it just seemed so completely worth it. Right up to the point where if he had too, he would do it all over again just to have Yugi so closely tied into his life.

The past few weeks had been incredible for Yami. Their relationship had led to whole new roads of potential to open up and now they were closer then ever.

It was like being with Yugi was some kind of natural evolution in their relationship that had been so obscured before because of his past relationships with Seto. First, when they had met, he and Yugi had been strangers, then friends, then very close friends and now lovers…it was just so perfect.

"Earth to Yami," Called a voice. "Is anyone home? Or have the lights just been left on again?"

Blinking, Yami looked up at Joey, startled out of his thoughts. "Sorry?"

Joey grinned. "Fantasising again?"

Yami threw him a mock-glare but smiled anyway. "Well I have every right too - he's all mine."

Tea raised an eyebrow as she gazed at Yami. "So, hyperactive sex huh?"

The former pharaoh glared at her, trying to stop the heat rising in his cheeks.

"Can we drop this please?" Yami said pointedly.

"Nope," Tristen stated. "This is too interesting."

"So you keep coffee and pixie-stix in your bedroom so you can get hyper while you're -" Joey started.

"You lot really need to get dates." Yami stated, cutting him off. "You're all sex-deprived."

"Hey, I have a girlfriend thank you." Joey shot back grabbing Krysta suddenly in suffocating bear hug.

Krysta tapped him on the shoulder. "Actually we decided to stay friends weeks ago."

Joey stared at her. "We did?"

"_Yes _we did," Krysta said intentionally slapping his behind a lot harder then necessary to get him to loosen his death-grip.

"Why did we do that?" Joey asked rubbing his backside.

Krysta shrugged. "Just seemed right. I mean the kissing and the sex was great, but nothing really changed that much from the friends' situation. So we decided to quit while we were ahead."

"Oh yeah, that's right."

Hmmm, you learned something new every day…

Tristen, Yami and Tea stopped and stared in pure shock.

"What's the matter?" Joey asked turning to them curiously.

"You guys were doing it!" Tea practically screamed.

"Sure," Krysta replied shrugging. "We were dating at the time, so it's okay."

Tristen stared. "But Krysta…you were sleeping with Krysta…_Krysta_…"

"Thought you were just dating…" Tea murmured shaking her head.

"You never said anything," Yami said, just as stunned as the others. "I didn't even know you stayed over together."

"Uh huh," Joey said folding his arms across his chest. "And what exactly was I supposed to be doing in your room on my own while you snuck off to get it on with Yugi in the middle of the night? Since you were having your fun, I went to have mine with my gorgeous girl."

"I need a girlfriend." Tristen said, depressed.

"What about before me and Yugi got together?" Yami pressed.

Krysta blushed. "We were just used the Silent Card to its full potential and were very discreet all the way till we broke up - unlike you."

"Yeah, you guys are noisy." Joey commented. "You must have some great hyperactive sex."

Krysta giggled. "Yeah, our Silent Cards are getting bored of covering for you two so Grandpa doesn't hear you."

Yami glared at them, trying to quell his blush. But the glare didn't last for long. As his friends snickered away, he couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips, he really did have great sex with his Hikari.

"Hey guys!" Yugi called suddenly. "Come on! We're going to be late for homeroom!"

"Anyway," Tea said, as the friends regrouped. "What're you guys doing for your anniversary?"

Yugi glanced up at her in confusion as well as surprise. "What anniversary?"

"Well it will be exactly one month that you guys got together in two days." Tea said matter-of-factly. "Therefore you must have an anniversary."

"It's already been a month?" Yami asked glancing at his lover.

Yugi shrugged. "Beats me, I didn't even look at the date we got together."

Joey looked at Tea. "You need a boyfriend. Bad."

Tea shot daggers at him with her eyes before turning back to Yami and Yugi, her calm look back in place in a flash. "You have to do something special for the anniversary to ensure you have a long happy life together."

"Aren't they gonna have that anyway?" Sakura asked.

Yami shrugged, drawing Yugi closer. "Alright, we'll have an anniversary."

Yugi looked up at him curiously.

"It's just an excuse to have more sex then usual." Yami whispered mischievously.

Leaving Yugi to blush on, Yami laughed blissfully and caught his hand as the teenagers finally walked the rest of the way to school with ten minutes to spare.

But none of them knew what awaited their arrival so eagerly there…

Note – okay, I know this chapter doesn't really contribute to anything, I just thought it was incredibly cute. (Nefertari offers big smile)


	2. Encounter

Chapter 2 - Encounter

Domino High was pretty much the same high school as every other one, despite the still going-strong Duel Monsters craze that had been gripping the school for well over five years now.

Deciding to stay outside on the warm day until the bell went, the teenagers found a free picnic table and quickly overtook it, already fighting playfully for seating space. But, considering how many of them there were, Yugi ended up sitting on Yami's lap - which was fine by him - and Tea and Krysta sitting up on the tabletop as the boys took over the benches either side, leaving Sakura to squeeze into the seat beside Yami and Yugi - and trying not to start giggling as they started to kiss again.

"So what've you guys got first?" Tea asked, titling her face up to enjoy the sunlight.

"I've got cheerleading practice after registration," Krysta said. She glanced at Sakura and Yugi. "You guys have double media right?"

Sakura nodded. "Yep, that's our morning."

Tea made a face. "I got maths - well I can catch up on some sleep anyway."

"We got physics." Tristen groaned.

Suddenly Joey yelped like a kicked puppy, instantly making everyone jump out of their skins.

"AHHHH! I FORGOT TO DO THE HOMEWORK!" He yelled to the world in general.

All shrieked as Joey reflexively jumped up, making the table very unbalanced - and was now tipping frighteningly over on Yami and Sakura's side. In a flash, Tristen dragged Joey down again, quickly righting the table with a gentle rock before it came to a standstill again just before the teenagers formed a human pile right on top of Yugi, Yami and Sakura.

"What're you screaming about now?" Asked an amused voice.

Joey instantly froze. Slowly he turned around and stared.

It had been weeks, and still he hadn't gotten used to it.

Eighteen-year-old Seto Kaiba wasn't irritated just by the sight of them.

"Forget the homework again?" Seto's fifteen year old brother asked laughing.

Joey pouted, glaring at the Kaiba brothers defiantly as he sat down at the bench again. "It just slipped my mind okay?"

"Poor puppy," Seto said mock-sarcastically, his deep blue eyes glittering as he gazed over he younger teenager.

"Hey!" Joey complained as Seto ruffled his hair, making the blond locks even messier then ever before. He glared mildly at Seto. "What's with the 'puppy' thing anyway?"

"You know the Andrex puppy? From the TV advert?" Seto replied. "You look just like that cute little golden retriever…so, so pretty too…"

Smiles ensued as Seto ruffled Joey's hair again, making a point of the similar gold-blond of the younger teenager's hair as Joey reach up to bat his hands away with an almost playful low growl.

Krysta giggled watching them. "You know, the way you two go on these days, anyone would think you guys were married."

Seto smiled, his eyes flitting mysteriously over Joey. "Hmmm, such ideas…"

Joey stopped abruptly, mentally scrolling through the many potentials the wealthy CEO could possibly mean…

Yami smiled, catching Seto's wink. "Good morning to you too."

"It is now," Seto replied. "I just saw your little stunt, you lot looked hilarious."

Already talking excitedly about their media studies project with Sakura and Yugi, Mokuba climbed up onto the tabletop, taking the very last ounce of space on the crowded table with Krysta and Tea, while his big brother decided to go to more extremes to get a seat.

"What the -?" Joey exclaimed suddenly.

Gasps resounded around the table as Seto bodily lifted Joey up and took his seat, pulling the blond into his lap.

"That's better now isn't it?" Seto said sweetly.

Joey stared at him speechless.

The blond in the ice-king's lap. Sworn enemies practically cuddling in the view of everyone who dared look.

This really was incredible.

Tea laughed. "I wish I had a camera - this is priceless."

As the others laughed, Yami seemed much more curious.

Ever since the whole Seto-Yami-Yugi triangle had been blown apart in a massive confrontation almost exactly a month ago, Seto had been surprisingly different. Even when he was still dating Yami, Seto had held onto his general resentment of the teenagers. But now…he seemed almost okay with everything. He was nicer, much more open to the ideas of magics and destiny and how they were so closely linked within all their lives.

And he didn't mind Yami was still with Yugi and did nothing more then smile softly whenever he saw the two of them being together. There was no resentment there at all since the devastating break-up.

But still…Seto had been changing a lot recently…

Yami's gaze drifted along his friend's gaze - and found those deep blue eyes focussed entirely on Joey.

Hmmm, Yami thought. They've been getting more and more like this since me and Seto broke up…I wonder…

"Um, Yami?" Yugi said softly.

Yami smiled. "I see it."

Light and Dark glanced at each other, amused. Then back at their friends with big, not-so-innocent smiles.

"See what?" Tea asked, overhearing them.

"Nothing," Yugi said angelically.

Joey was blushing.

"Hey," Joey complained, finally finding his voice again. "That was my seat."

"Well now it's _our _seat," Seto corrected. "You should learn to share puppy."

For a moment, Joey's honey-brown eyes blazed with suppressed annoyance. But not because of Seto's audacity…this was much more misplaced, and seriously more misunderstood…

"What's that supposed -?" Joey started, sparked off.

"Want to copy my homework Joey?" Tristen said quickly, unwilling to let his friend succumb to yet another world famous Wheeler-scuffle.

It just took too long to clean up afterwards.

And Tristen and the others were just very lazy sometimes.

Instantly remembering his overlooked homework, Joey nodded vigorously, completely forgetting where he was in order to hastily copy his friend's work before registration started - or worse, class started. Oddly enough, Seto still seemed pretty content with Joey still sitting on his lap, who was now oblivious to the CEO entirely.

Suppressing a smirk, Yami glanced over at Joey and Tristen, watching with rising amusement as they tried to work out what the hell Tristen had written down at three in the morning when he had decided to do his homework.

"What've you got this morning Yami?" Seto asked.

"I've got business then geography," Yami sighed. "So I get to be bored to death then have my brains picked about deserts again."

"Business is great." Seto stated.

Yami looked at him pointedly. "No - _you _think business is great. I can't think of a better punishment." He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Then that damn geo teacher won't stop talking to me next lesson."

Seto smiled. "Well she is just curious; give her some credit for liking what she does. That's amazing for a teacher."

Yami sighed resignedly. "God, I'd love to get my hands on the idiot who told her I was from Egypt. Now she won't shut up about it."

On Seto's lap, Joey cleared this throat discreetly, instantly burying himself in Tristen's homework.

Joey felt his breath hitch as Seto's whispering voice suddenly entered his ear, significantly lower, and much more seductively then ever before.

"Naughty puppy."

In the distance the first bell of the morning sounded.

And Joey instantly jumped up.

"The bell's gone people!" He called more loudly then he intended, and a little more cheerfully too. "Come on! Up and at 'em! We've got class - let's go!"

Still chatting on, the friends stood up, gathering their stuff up as Joey rigidly marched them all towards the school entrance, still trying to quell his seemingly unquenchable blush.

"What're you up to?" Yami asked curiously as they fell behind the others.

Seto glanced at him, smiling like a Cheshire cat as he watched Joey determinedly avoid his eyes. "What makes you think I'm up to something?"

Yami stopped him and studied him closely. "Because I know you Seto. And I know that look. Plus you're the most conniving ex-High Priest ever. You're doing something - you have been for weeks."

Seto shrugged innocently. "I don't know what you mean…" He said mysteriously.

Yami went to answer as his friend abruptly turned away to catch up to the others - but something stopped him.

Or rather, _someone_…

It was another teenager. A guy that looked about the same age as himself. He was walking way across the grounds, yet Yami could see them so clearly, but his mind just seemed to have frozen up, unable to register any of what he was seeing and yet still the teenager captivated his attention.

A flash of pure emerald green caught Yami's eyes. And before he knew what he was doing - he focussed his gaze onto it.

Such vivid emerald green surrounded by darkness…

Yami had never seen anything like it. Anything so - mysterious… beautiful…so incredibly mesmerising in it's striking colour…

And time just seemed to slow down, melting away the entire world for that perfect moment…

Spellbound, Yami stared.

As he did so, the teenager seemed to know somehow - and slowly, deliberately, he began to turn his gaze to meet Yami's eyes…

"Yami?" Called a voice.

Gasping sharply, startled, Yami turned around, his gaze shooting to the sours of the voice in a flash.

His Hikari and friends were gazing back at him from a few metres away.

"Yami, are you coming?" Yugi asked with a sweet smile.

Not answering, Yami whirled around gain, letting his gaze dart rapidly around the school grounds, searching for that teenager. But it was no use; that teenager had vanished before Yami had even gotten the chance to look into those emerald pools, the spell already broken.

"Yami?" Yugi's voice said, sounding surprisingly closer then before. "Are you alright?"

Yami looked at his Light. "Yugi did you just see a teenager over there?"

Yugi frowned. "Yami there's lots of teenagers there - it's a school."

"That's not what I -" Yami sighed, cutting himself off. Warily he glanced back at the empty space across the grounds again briefly. "Forget it, let's go."

Dismissing the strange moment, Yami smiled and kissed his beautiful Hikari's lips lightly before, hand in hand they rejoined their friends.

As they once again began to smile and chat on blissfully towards their homerooms, as if nothing had even happened. But there was one person who wasn't joining in - and for a very good reason.

Seto glanced back at the area Yami had been staring so intently, dropping behind the others as he did so. In that moment Yami had been distracted, Seto had sensed something, he wasn't quite sure what, but he knew whatever Yami had seen wasn't just his imagination.

Letting the frown fall from his features, Seto reluctantly dismissed the odd notions and smiled once more as Mokuba dragged him back to the group, ready to once more mess around with his oh so _cute _golden puppy…


	3. Lust

Note - just to be clear seto and joey are not together yet

Chapter 3 - Lust

"So what were you staring at?" Seto asked five minutes later.

Snapping out of his reverie, that for some reason he couldn't remember, Yami glanced at his friend beside him. "Nothing."

"Liar."

Yami sighed. "You know, I wish you'd keep calling me that."  
"Stop lying then I'll stop calling you that."

"Well what're you lying about?" Joey asked sitting up on his desk located before Yami's and swivelling round to see him.

"I'm not -" Yami started, before giving up entirely, knowing he'd just be lying again. "Okay, I saw someone outside."

"Who?" Seto pressed.

Yami shrugged. "That's it, I don't know, and I couldn't see him properly - I only saw his eyes. They were green. Incredibly green, like emeralds."

"Another student?" Seto asked.

Yami shrugged again. "Don't know. I haven't seen him before and he looked around our age."

"Maybe it's that new guy." Krysta suggested turning around in her seat before Seto. "I just heard there was a new exchange student from Egypt joining one of the other classes in our year today."

Tea nodded, she too turning around from the window seat. "Yeah, I heard he has the most incredible green eyes. It's probably him you saw."

"Wow, another Egyptian." Joey commented. "He's from your neck of the woods Yami."

Suddenly, Yami completely zoned out.

And the scene from only moments ago replayed in slow motion through his eyes.

_Those eyes…yes that's right…I can see him…those eyes, they were looking for me…they wanted to see into me…his face, his body…that smooth, firm golden skin…so exotic…alluring…so very, very… beautiful…_

"Yami?"

Looking up sharply, Yami focussed on Seto. "Sorry?"

"You okay?" Seto asked staring at him.

Yami forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

He shifted uncomfortably as Seto continued to stare at him, his other friends quickly following suit as they realised just how weird he was acting.

Yami could've cheered as the teacher finally came in and called for attention.

What's the matter with me? Yami thought, staring at his desk. One little glimpse of a new guy's eyes and suddenly I can't control the way my own mind is working. What is it about that -?

Yami froze mid-thought.

There it was again…that feeling…that pull gently tugging him to look up.

His heart suddenly pounding, Yami slowly glanced up, casting his gaze to the open doorway.

And watched that same teenager walk right past.

Yami's breath caught.

And stared into those emerald green eyes, one again captivated.

The moment passed and the teenager vanished from view behind the wall.

"Yami? Yami what's wrong!" Joey asked as quietly as he could, his voice laced with anxiety.

Yami didn't answer. Breathing heavily, he pressed a hand to his pounding heart afraid that it was burst out at any moment it was pumping so hard. A rush of heated, fierce emotions surged through him, so strong Yami was only just able to control them.

He knew his friends were staring at him anxiously now, desperately trying to conceal him from the teacher and the other students, but none of it seemed to matter just then.

"Yami," Seto called strongly.

Taking a deep breath Yami looked up at him, forcing himself to calm down, but before he could reply, his gaze was once again drawn to the doorway again.

Frowning, his friends followed his gaze.

But there was nothing there.

Moaning softly, Yami rubbed his forehead. "Sorry, I'm fine."

"What happened?" Krysta whispered.

Yami looked away. "Nothing."

Around him, his friends exchanged confused glances, but Yami didn't notice. all he could think about was how that teenager could make him feel like he was on the verge of losing all self-control just from one brief look…

But why…?


	4. Fascination

Chapter 4 – Fascination

Try as he might, Yami just couldn't stop thinking about that teenager. And it was tearing his attention away from everything else. So much so, he suddenly found himself in his business class without any recollection of how he had gotten there.

The way that guy had looked at Yami in that moment…it was indescribable. And every time he thought about it, the former pharaoh just kept on feeling more and more heated, barely controllable emotions searing though him - namely the ones reserved for Yugi only.

Yami's heart thudded suddenly realising just how true this was.

He was getting excited just by the thought of this beautiful dark stranger the same way he did when he thought about Yugi.

He was even getting the trapped butterflies in his stomach in craving and anticipation of seeing him again.

_What's happening to me? Why do I keep feeling this over a complete stranger? This is insane! Those feeling are only supposed to be for Yugi…_

"Are you alright Yami?" Ryou asked concerned.

Yami's gaze flitted to his friend seated beside him, his train of thought momentarily lost. "Oh, I - Ryou? When did you get here?"

Ryou smiled. "You really are daydreaming today huh? I just got to school, I missed registration."

"Why?"

Ryou's china white cheeks tinted in a soft blush. "Bakura."

Yami hid a smile. "I see,"

"Well you know what he's like when he wants his own way."

"I guess so. Is he at school today?"

Ryou nodded. "He decided to skip out on homeroom and business class though, he thinks you might be mad at him for some reason."

Yami's anger sparked thinking about his lost coffee bar. "You got that right. Because of that snitch, I lost my coffee bar to Leo. He's so gonna pay for that."

Ryou laughed softly. "He's just annoying everyone today isn't he? Tristen's just threatened to disembowel him a few minutes ago."

Yami looked at him curiously. "What did he do?"

"He acted like he was Tristen's lover and made a huge scene about how he never called after their one night of mind-blowing sex."

Yami stared at him for a moment - then burst out laughing. He got a few odd looks, but that really was the most uplifting thing he had heard all morning after those weird incidents with the supposed new student he'd been randomly seeing.

"Oh my god…" Yami murmured through the laughter. "Tristen must've gone ballistic."

"You have no idea." Ryou laughed.

Struggling to stop giggling himself, Ryou forcefully calmed Yami down just as the teacher came in and called attention. Looking mildly interested once more - as was the way in business class - the boys stared at the front of the classroom.

"Class," The business teacher said after usual greeting. "I'd like to introduce a new student who will be joining this class. Some of you may already know him from your homeroom, but still I'd like you all to welcome him." Everyone watched as the teacher glanced at the door. "Would you like to come in?"

Yet again, the world seemed to slow down for Yami.

It was here again - that sensation, the tug that pulled his gaze and attention to the doorway and imprisoned it there just to watch the next few seconds…

And there he was.

Yami's jaw dropped.

He was _gorgeous_…

He looked even more beautifully alluring then the way Yami had glimpsed him before. Dressed in the regular uniform of guys, he looked so hot, even Yami had to recite to himself over and over that he was with Yugi.

Because god knew, he was extremely enticed at the sheer glimpse of that teenager right then.

He wore his clothes slightly tighter then others showing off a perfect muscularly built body beneath, no doubt hiding even more of that wonderfully bronzed skin created under the burning Egyptian sun, that Yami was suddenly craving to know what it felt like to touch.

Then there was the face. Yami had never seen such a gorgeous face before. It was perfection in itself and utterly flawless. Those striking emerald green eyes shimmered out through soft black tresses of jawline-length messy hair that just begged to be grasped as it shone in the light…

He was so darkly mysterious…

It was currently blowing Yami's mind to bits.

"Class," The teacher said, feeling a little self-conscious as the tall newcomer stood beside her. "This is Griffin Firenze. Griffin, if you'd like to find yourself a seat."

Whispers followed Griffin as well as the stared of every red-blooded girl in the room as he made his way to an empty seat two rows before Yami, next to the window.

And Yami stared right along with everyone else.

Griffin…his name was so mysterious, so alluring, it devastated Yami's mind. All he could think about as he watched the new student walk thought the room was just how much he needed to know more about this beautiful stranger that invoked such strong emotions within the former pharaoh before they had even met.

_Griffin…god he just radiates male gorgeousness…whoa…_

And once again, just like the earlier two times Yami had seen him, Griffin just seemed to know he had drawn Yami's gaze to him in some powerful enchantment, almost like he was expecting to find Yami gazing at him so helplessly fascinated by him - and just like before…Griffin turned around.

Yami's breath caught as those beautiful green eyes settled on him again - but this time, Griffin gifted Yami with the most seductive smile that just made Yami melt inside.

Craving filled Yami as Griffin finally broke the gaze and looked back at the front of the class as the teacher began to speak, taking those soul-searching eyes away from Yami's.

Suddenly realising his heart was once again pounding out of control, Yami stared hard at his desk, taking deep breaths in a failing attempt to calm down from such savage, heated feelings suddenly flaring through his hormone-crazed body.

"Ryou?" He said quietly.

"Yes?" Ryou answered, startled by the address, having not witnessed any of what had happened.

"Am I blushing?"

Ryou looked at him, and instantly became concerned. "Yeah, quite vividly."

Yami cringed inwardly. "Damn."

"Are you alright?" Ryou asked, concerned.

Slowly, Yami shook his head, not daring to look up at Griffin again.

There was no doubt about it.

Yami was attracted to Griffin.


	5. Lure

Note - People keep an open mind - and don't judge Yami yet - he's going to do so much worse. Trust me.

Note 2 - SETO AND JOEY ARE NOT TOGETHER! JOEY'S JUST BEING VERY OBLIVIOUS. - sorry i felt i needed to clarify that.

Chapter 5 - Lure

Must stop thinking about him. Must stop thinking about him. Gotta stop thinking about him…

_God he's so great looking…_

"Stop it." Yami yelled quietly at himself, pinching his arm harshly enough to leave a throbbing mark.

But yet again the image of the exotically alluring Griffin filled Yami's entire mind. And consequently began forming wild, not-so-innocent fantasies in his mind within less then a second.

Yami growled lowly to himself, slamming his locker door closed a lot more severely then he intended. Forcing the dirty thoughts away, he glared at no one in particular, thinking of as many random things as he could as he slowly made his way towards his geography class, once again trying to clear the illusive Griffin from his mind.

But it was no use. Just thinking about the new student was giving Yami shivers down his spine and awakening a fierce longing to be close to him at the mere thought of seeing him again.

Suddenly Yami's eyes widened as he looked ahead of him.

He practically burst with happiness as he saw Yugi exit his classroom down the hall with Sakura and Mokuba.

Without a second thought, Yami dashed across the crowded hallway and grasped Yugi in record time. Without warning, Yami pushed his little Hikari against the nearest wall, kissing him passionately before Yugi even had a chance to figure out what was going on.

"Yami," Yugi said breathlessly a moment of heated kissing later. He stared wide-eyed at his lover. "You know, you've really gotta warn me before you do that."

Yami gazed at him, feeling more relieved then anything. "Sorry, I just…missed you."

Yugi smiled. "It's barely been an hour."

Yami pouted cutely. "So? Don't you want me to randomly kiss you anymore?"

Yugi laughed. "Sure I do, but if you do it in a public place - that happens."

Suddenly realising his lover was gesturing to something else, Yami looked around - and instantly blushed. His little stunt had just gained them both a large audience of smiling teenagers - including the discreetly giggling Sakura and Mokuba.

Sheepishly, Yami released his hold on Yugi, letting him stand properly once more.

"So what's up?" Yugi asked, straightening his uniform.

Yami laughed nervously at the question. "Nothing. What makes you think something's wrong?"

Yugi looked up at him, frowning slightly. "I didn't say something's wrong."

"Well there isn't," Yami said quickly, a little too forcefully then he intended. "Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to kiss you, okay?"

Yugi blinked, visibly taken aback.

"Yami, you don't have to get so defensive." Sakura said gazing at him searchingly.

Yami bit his lip, forcing himself to stop acting so weird. "Sorry, tenshi," He said sincerely, tugging his Hikari back into his arms. "It's…one of those mornings."

Yugi smiled up at him. "It's okay."

Yami looked at him and the others suddenly. "Wait, don't you have double media? Why aren't you still in class?"

"We've got a five minute break." Mokuba told him.

Sakura nodded. "Yep. In a practically two hour long session of media, they only managed to offer us a five min break. They think that's enough time to stop our minds from turning to mush so early in the morning."

"And surprise, surprise, it hasn't worked." Mokuba said sarcastically, sounding freakishly like his big brother.

"Hey people," Joey said, suddenly coming up behind them.

"Hey Joey," Yami greeting him. "Did the physics teacher give you detention again?"

"Nope," Joey said with a big smile. "She actually thought I'd done my homework. She even looked impressed at my effort."

"How did you pull that off?" Mokuba asked. "You get detention every week for trying to copy Tristen's work."

Joey made a face at him. "Not every week." He protested. He waved a had dismissively, pulling his big smile back in place. "But we had a sub teacher today - and she thought I was as good as gold for doing my homework."

"That's called misuse of trust, you realise that don't you?" Yami pointed out.

"You know it should be criminal the way we treat substitute teachers." Sakura commented.

Joey threw a mock-glare at then. "I know it's not the best policy, but a little guilt is worth staying out of detention. Besides I got paired with Kaiba yesterday for the English project and he wants me round his house after school to make a start on it. He's been bugging me all morning about not forgetting."

"Really?" Yami asked, very interested. "How did that happen?"

Joey shrugged, oblivious to his friend's sudden curiosity as well as Seto's more-then-obvious advances that Joey just seemed to be missing way too much.

"Beats me. Must've been a random selection thing." He ran a hand through his blond hair as he glanced at his watch. "Anyway, we've gotta get to class."

Yami nodded. "Okay let's go." He gave his boyfriend once last sweet kiss. "See you at break."

Yugi smiled dreamily. "Bye."

Feeling a whole lot better then before Yami smiled back and walked off with Joey towards their geography class in the next wing of the school. Now he had a million the fantasies of Yugi racing sexily through his mind as well as the lingering sensation of kissing his lovely boyfriend, Yami felt better then ever.

See? He told himself. It was all in your head. That new guy's just strikingly hot, he doesn't compare to Yugi. He never could. Yugi's the love of my life. And NOBODY is cuter then my Hikari.

"What're you smiling about?" Joey asked glancing at him amused.

Yami met his gaze. "Just thinking."

"About Yugi?"

"Uh huh,"

Joey smiled, shaking his head. "You guys are so meant for each other."

Yami sighed. "I know."

"I wish I could have that." Joey sighed. "I'm tired of looking for it."

Yami looked at him side-on. "Why _did _you and Krysta break up?"

"For all the reasons she said earlier."

"And that's everything?"

"Pretty much. We really didn't get any further then being extremely close friends having good sex." Joey replied. "We were just infatuated with each other in the beginning, you know how that fades away after you realise its been clouding what you really feel."

Yami nodded. "I see. So you don't regret it?"

"Not for a second." Joey grinned. "We did have a lot of fun together. But it was just one of those short term things in the end."

Finally Joey realised Yami was asking a lot more questions about personal things then usual.

Joey frowned slightly. "What's with the interrogation? Is Krysta mad at me?"

Yami blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Joey looked at him worriedly. "Isn't that how she feels about it?"

"Oh," Yami said. "No, she's fine - I was just wondering."

"Hmmm…" Joey murmured watching him side-on as they reached their classroom. "Alright…if you say so."

Yami hid another smile. Joey really had no idea about Seto's growing feelings towards him - it was almost cute.

Idly he headed into their geography classroom. And instantly dashed out again, accidentally crashing into Joey.

"What the -?" Joey exclaimed jumping back in shock at his friend's actions. "Yami what's wrong?"

Yami pressed back against the wall by the doorway, oblivious of the odd looks he was getting. Mostly because his heart was suddenly pounding again. His eyes wide he looked up at Joey.

"He's here," Yami said, breathlessly. "Damn, he's in our class. I can't believe it…he's right here…"

Joey watched him, taken aback. "Who?"

"That guy I saw this morning," Yami told him. "The new student."

"No way," Joey said, already walking into the classroom. "Where?"

"Joey!" Yami hissed, grasping his arm, but being mercilessly dragged in with him anyway.

"Whoa," Joey murmured as they halted just in the inside of the classroom. "He is really good looking. Those eyes of his are incredible, no wonder you noticed him this morning."

Yami cringed inwardly, determinedly keeping his back to Griffin as Joey continued to discreetly look at him over Yami's shoulder.

"He's getting a lot of attention from all those chicks who still lust after you Yami." He observed. "What's his name anyway?"

"Griffin." Yami said quietly, his voice involuntarily softening. "His name's Griffin…"

"Griffin huh?" Joey said. "Weird name. Head's up, he's checking you out."

Yami already knew that. Even with his back to Griffin, he could still feel those vivid green eyes burning though his back; and with each passing moment he felt that gaze, Yami was feeling more and more excited…

Taking a deep breath, and steeling himself against his own emotions, Yami turned around.

"Let's get our seats." Yami said woodenly.

Taking care not to look at Griffin, Yami walked down the furthest aisle to his and Joey's seats at the back of the class by the windows. Oddly enough, just like in business class, Griffin was seated only two seats in front of him.

As he walked past Griffin, Yami steeled himself.

But it didn't work.

A shiver coursed thought him as Griffin suddenly brushed his hand with his own. Startled, Yami's crimson gaze darted down, meeting those shimmering emerald orbs.

The moment was incredible.

It was like they were caught in some powerful spell once more. Hopelessly bound by those enchanting green eyes, Yami felt himself becoming more and more attracted to Griffin with every passing millisecond, not to mention feeling hotter and hotter then the air around him too. And for the life of him, he just couldn't stop thinking how much he wanted to run his fingers through that dark hair…and down over that firm muscular body…

"Yugi? Why aren't you in class?" Joey said suddenly.

Yami blinked and looked up, quickly jumping back from Griffin.

Yugi smiled at him, somehow appearing just behind Joey. "Hey, forget something?"

Yami stared at him blankly. "Forget what?"

Yugi handed him his Geography book. "You dropped this, I figured you might need it."  
Yami smiled, taking the book. "Thanks."

"Hey, you'd better go," Joey said glancing at the door. "Our teacher's gonna be here any second. And she's got issues with couples being in her class together. She doesn't like the mushy stuff."

Yami smiled. "All the better to do it then."

Without warning, Yami caught Yugi's hand and pulled him into a deep, breathtaking kiss.

"AHEM," Said a voice.

Mildly annoyed about being interrupted, Yami broke the kiss and looked up at his geography teacher, standing before them, having just appeared out of thin air.

"That's quite enough boys." Mrs Morton said derisively. She glared at Yugi. "Haven't you got class now Yugi?"  
Yugi blushed nervously. "Yes Miss."

Yami glared at her as his Hikari started to run away. Feeling a little more empowered considering the sheer amounts of eyes settling upon him, Yami reached out and caught Yugi's hand again.

In full defiance of the teacher and the rules, Yami kissed Yugi again, before letting his Light finally runaway, blushing vividly, but undoubtedly feeling significantly light-headed as he dashed out the classroom.

Yami smiled freakishly nicely at his teacher. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

The class struggled not to burst out in giggles as the teacher faltered, visibly flustered by Yami's audacity.

"Well…" Miss Morton started hesitantly. "I - um - that was - how dare -against the rules - Detention!"

Yami shrugged turning his back on her to get to his seat. "Alright."

Again the class struggled even more not to start laughing as the teacher was left to stare, lost, at Yami as he casually sat down.

"You're-you're okay with that?" Miss Morgan asked, confused.

Yami smiled reassuringly. "It was worth it."

Still flustered, but well aware she was fighting a losing battle against Yami - as was the usual way - Miss Morton turned around and strode back to the front of the classroom, shrieking for attention as she began her lesson.

"That was dangerous," Joey whispered leaning closer to Yami. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Yami shrugged leaning back in his chair lazily. "I'm thinking she's not gonna be bugging me about deserts anymore."

Joey smiled. "I guess so, but you know making out on school grounds is against the rules. Now you've got detention."  
Yami looked at him and smiled as Yugi filled his mind again. "It was worth it." He said again.

Feeling the teacher's glare settling on the two of them again, Yami and Joey turned back to the front, pretending to be interested again until her gaze left.

As he did so, Yami felt his gaze once more becoming drawn to Griffin only two seats before him. Again it felt like Griffin was urging him to look his way, so much so, Yami just couldn't resist. And this time was no exception.

His crimson eyes settling on Griffin again, all thoughts of Yugi were instantly wiped clear from his mind. Yet again it struck his just how hot Griffin was, even if he wasn't even looking Yami's ay at that moment.

Yami's gaze softened on the teenager, deliberately taking in everything that made Griffin so captivating to Yami. Everything that made Yami feel so strongly, so suddenly.

There was something about Griffin. Something inexplicably alluring.

Against all his heart's fierce pleas, Yami's gaze remained on Griffin for as long as the lesson held out.

But all the while, completely unaware of Yami himself - a small smile played on his lips.


	6. Crossroads

Chapter 6 - Crossroads

"Yami you've just been acting a little weird." Yugi said studying him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Yugi frowned as his Dark didn't answer, but continued to stare into space.

"Yami?" Yugi called, playfully poking him in the side that he knew would make Yami giggle so adorably even the iciest heart would melt.

But there wasn't even a reaction, his boyfriend just kept staring impassively. His frown deepening, Yugi followed Yami's gaze to a classroom window of the school before them. If he wasn't mistaken, that was the classroom his Dark had his geography lesson.

Opposite them, Seto was also watching Yami closely. He knew something was wrong with his picture.

"Yami!" Seto said sharply.

Instantly, Yami snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at him, almost jumping out of his skin.

"What?" He asked, alarmed.

"Yugi's talking to you," Seto stated, staring at him. "What's wrong with you?"

Yami blinked, suddenly realising he was sitting at the bench again with his friends. "Oh sorry, I just zoned out for a minute." He glanced at Yugi. "What did you say?"

Yugi looked at him, unsure of his Dark's behaviour. "Seriously, what's going on with you today?"

Yami sighed, brushing back his blond bangs from his eyes. "I don't know, I just…feel a bit weird."

Yugi looked at him, concerned. "How d'you mean?"

Yami went to answer, but was cut off as the rest of their friends joined them all finally ready to go off home. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Yami stood up.

"I'll see you guys later, I've got detention." He said boredly.

The others looked up at him as they all stood to go home.

"You got detention?" Krysta asked, surprised. "What did you do?"

Yugi blushed. "He kissed me."

"In the middle of geography." Joey added, grinning. "The look on Miss Morton's face was priceless when Yami pulled his defiance thing on her."

Tea looked at Yami scornfully. "You know that's against the rules Yami. Kissing isn't allowed in school."

"I tried to warn you not to get all kissy with Yugi." Joey said grinning. "See what you did?"

Yami threw a mock-glare at the lot of them. "Like I could really care. It's a stupid rule that everyone breaks anyway." He picked up his backpack and turned away. "See you guys later."

"Don't get bored to death." Yugi said as Yami went to kiss him.

Yam smiled in reply and began to walk away.

"Have fun!" Sakura called playfully.

"Yeah right."

Yami sighed, hearing his friends blissful chatter die away, he walked back into the long deserted corridors of the school. School was always the creepiest of places when it was empty. After all it was a school, and school were meant to be full of people. It was like Yami's Palace back in Egypt, it was always full of people, but the moment midnight struck and all was quiet and still, the creepy-vibe set in and made the Palace a lot less inviting to be stuck in.

Feeling more and more depressed at the atmosphere, Yami headed towards the detention room and shoved open the door.

And just his luck, there was no one there but Mr Arnos, and yet again he was dozing far-from-gracefully all over the front desk. Half tempted to leave since the lazy teacher would never know the difference anyway, Yami sighed again and crossed off his name on the list by the door, taking a seat as far back as he could next to the window so he could stare out and escape into thoughts of just how stupid, pointless and demeaning the concept of detention was.

Now this daft punishment was making Yami spend another hour in an empty, creepily-deserted school, doing absolutely nothing, in the time where he could be doing a lot more interesting things with Yugi…

A smile crossed his lips as his Hikari filled his mind.

For some reason, Yugi had been on Yami's mind a lot today. So much so he hadn't even been able to take in any of his lessons. But of course there was a very good reason for that too.

Griffin flooded his mind, instantly pushing Yugi clear out of the way.

Even if Yami had managed to steer clear of the new student for the rest of the day after geography, there really was no stopping his imagination. And yet again, Griffin was the subject to quite a few creative scenarios within the confines of his own mind.

"Oh wow…" Yami breathed closing his eyes.

There was a soft chuckle beside him.

Yami's eyes snapped open, and he looked up, startled - straight into incredible green eyes.

Griffin smiled. "Hi."

Mesmerised momentarily by those eyes, Yami forced himself back into reality. And suddenly realised something was very different.

Griffin wasn't wearing his school uniform. No, he'd changed out of it - and into some very tight black leather trousers and black tank top that was currently driving Yami's mind wild with a bunch of all new fantasies in less then a second, and not leaving much to the imagination of the body concealed under the thin fabric…

_Whoa, Griffin really did have a nice physique…_

And the chain-belt accessories were just warping Yami's mind.

"Hi." He managed. Yami stared at him. "It's you."

Griffin chuckled softly, sitting up on the desk lid of the desk before Yami. "As far as I know." Griffin held out a hand. "Griffin."

Yami felt a strange ease wash over him as he smiled back, taking the teenager's hand. "Yami." He studied Griffin for a moment. "That's a strange name."

The other teenager looked at him. "I could say the same for you." His eyes glinted mysteriously. "Then again, I'm pretty tame for a mythical beast - so what should I say about the darkness itself?"

Yami's breath caught.

He knew who Yami was…that he was the darkness…Yami meant darkness…

He should've been freaked out of his mind - _no one _should know what his name meant, the word was taken from an ancient language that was now long dead. The only people who knew where the ones Yami chose to tell.

But he wasn't. he was…okay with it. Actually, he liked Griffin knowing something so personal about him despite just meeting for the first moment.

Now that was strange for Yami. He was usually secretive by nature and it really annoyed Yugi sometimes, which was amazing because Yugi was very un-annoyable.

Again Yami felt the strong pull to this teenager getting more and more intense as the seconds ticked by.

There was something about Griffin…  
Griffin cocked his head to one side, his longish black locks falling sexily across one eye. "So you're the illustrious Prince."

Yami blinked, taken aback. Nobody had called him that in millennia, not since he actually was a prince before he was crowned pharaoh…

"S-sorry?" He stammered.

Griffin sighed. "I guess you don't know then. That's what all the girls call you." He cast those gaze over Yami appreciatively. "Everyone knows you're gay, but still those girls love you. They call you Prince Charming."

Yami stared at him incredulously. "You're kidding."

Griffin laughed, running a hand through his naturally dishevelled hair. "You really didn't know, did you?"

"I knew they still had crushes on me." Yami replied with a smile. "But the Prince thing's new to me."

Yami felt like he was being stared right through as Griffin watched him for a moment.

"I saw you this morning." Griffin said calmly. "And twice, you were the only one who noticed me Yami."

Yami's heart thudded as he heard his name fall from Griffin's lips, suddenly craving to hear it again and again…and then craving so much more as he stared at those lips…

"I guess I did," Yami said, trying to keep his voice steady as he forced the fantasies away, trying and failing to focus on Yugi again. His gaze narrowed on Griffin curiously. "How did you get detention?"

Griffin smiled knowingly. "I followed your example."

Yami felt an alien stab of jealously tear into his heart. "Really? Who?"  
"James Dawson." Griffin answered absently. "He's quite cute for a soccer player, he's a real babe." He looked over Yami. "Too bad I've got my heart set on another guy."

Yami's eyes widened - and chose to miss out on the obvious and focus on the broader spectrum.

_He's gay…now way…this is too good to be true…he's actually gay…_

He watched, almost dreamily as Griffin looked away, gazing out the window at the fiery sunset colouring the sky in vivid oranges and yellows, fading to rosy pink in the distance.

"Let's get out of here." Griffin said suddenly.

Yami glanced at the clock. "We've only been here ten minutes."

"So?"

"So detention's supposed to be an hour."

Griffin gave him an incredulous look, raising an eyebrow. "And you seriously think _he's _going to notice?"

Yami glanced at Mr Arnos; he was still practically dead to the world at the front of the classroom.

Without waiting for a reply, Griffin suddenly grasped Yami's hand, pulling him up and out of the room giving him barely enough time to grab his backpack.

Yami didn't even have time to register the sparking sensation riddling through his body as Griffin's hand clasped his own in an unbreakable grip, that felt so natural, Yami wished to god he wouldn't let go.

A split-second later the two boys were racing hand-in-hand down the corridor; Griffin practically running away with Yami as he went - not that Yami was complaining.

Just being led god-knows-where by some hot guy he only just met was surprisingly exhilarating to Yami.

His heart pounding, his breath coming fast and shallow, Yami looked at the taller teenager as they finally stopped, finding himself on the street just outside the school gates.

"Whoa…" Yami murmured breathlessly.

Griffin glanced at him daringly. "How about we do something more fun?"

Yami looked up at him, he almost melted on the spot as the sexist of smiles crossed Griffin's lips, making him feel so incredibly hot, not to mention reducing his insides to jelly so he was on the verge of agreeing to anything just by seeing that mind-blowing smile.

"Like what?" Yami asked, trying to keep the raging desire out of his voice.

But that resolve was shattered in an instant as Griffin stepped closer to Yami, his free hand slipping to Yami's waist whilst the other gripped Yami's hand tighter.

"Do you trust me?" Griffin whispered.

Yami tried to claw back his thoughts back into a working mind as he looked up into Griffin's eyes. "We just met." He murmured weakly.

Griffin's eyes glistened in the fiery sunlight. "Do you trust me?"

Something came over Yami. Something strong, something he didn't understand, let alone fight.

He couldn't…and he so didn't want to…

"Yes." Yami whispered.


	7. Temptation

Chapter 7 - Temptation

"Here," Griffin said suddenly.

Yami's breath hitched as the other teenager suddenly grabbed him, bodily pushing him up against the nearest wall of the dark, dank alleyway they had just raced into. He stopped breathing altogether as Griffin suddenly pressed up against him, easily pinning him to the wall with his firm, strong body.

"Don't move," Griffin whispered. "Do as I say, and they'll pass us by."

Not trusting himself to speak, Yami nodded.

He couldn't see Griffin's face the way he was held, but he could feel Griffin's arms either side of him, one wrapped around his waist, pressing their bodies together, the other braced against the wall, trapping Yami in his embrace. He could feel the contours of Griffin's body pressing so fantastically against his own…and it was giving him so many not-so-innocent ideas.

And currently, all of this was making Yami's heart pound even harder then the thought of the ruthless gang war going on around them.

There were screams, gunshots, angry yelling, even more screams and some worrying slasher sounds that sounded straight out of a gory horror flick. It was coming from absolutely everywhere, almost completely drowning out the blaring sirens of the numerous police cars coursing the streets of the beyond-dangerous south side of Domino. Or more colourfully put by the residents of Domino - murder-ville.

The south side murder-ville was renowned for it's danger, even muggers were afraid to walk the south-side streets in case they were killed - or worse, and there really were worse fates then death in murder-ville.

And what made this situation even worse, was the fact that it was dark now. So if people thought murder-ville was dangerous during the day - nobody could even come close to imagining just how life-threatening it was at night.

Even with all his Shadow Magic and being a skilled fighter, Yami was seriously doubting he could take on a whole war of brutal men, bent on causing carnage and violence across an entire city-side.

"Scared?" Griffin asked softly.

"Aren't you?" Yami replied quietly.

"Petrified."

Yami felt a little better.

Mostly because Griffin was getting even closer to him as the screams began to get louder. Griffin's body felt so warm and inviting, his arms felt so strong, encircling Yami's smaller muscular form. Yami's breath escaped him shakily, feeling the lust rising within him uncontrollably. He couldn't help it, just being this close to an alluringly mysterious, gorgeous guy he was hopelessly attracted to - it was just bound to happen.

"Yami," Griffin whispered.

Yami shivered feeling the other's warm breath flit gracefully over his neck as Griffin dipped his head down slightly, already melting again just hearing his name embraced in Griffin's deep, captivating voice.

"Y-yes?" Yami managed.

"Just make it look like we're making out." Griffin whispered, a playful note entering his voice. "They won't even notice us then."

Yami took a deep shaky breath. "O-okay…"

His heart stopped as he felt the softest of kisses graze the fiery skin on his neck.

A quiet moan escaped his lips as he felt more kisses over his neck, his eyes closing as Yami's arms tightened reflexively around Griffin's waist, the other doing the same.

Yami could feel every graze, every brush of Griffin's lips on his skin in mind-blowing detail and feel every touch as if it was magnified ten-fold, currently roaming up and down Yami's spine, pulling his ever closer into Griffin's arms. He shivered feeling Griffin's heated breath over his neck, tracing along to his shoulder as he tugged Yami's shirt collar away, before tracing back… tracing a line of kisses up Yami's neck, then his jaw line, straight towards his -

"HEY!" A voice yelled suddenly.

Instantly realising what was happening, and the situation he had been led into, Yami practically leapt back, breaking the embrace, breathing rapidly at the sheer thought of what had almost happened.

"What?" Griffin asked glancing up, visibly and _murderously, _annoyed to be interrupted.

Raising his arm to shield his eyes from the torch's glare, Yami looked up at the alleyway's opening. There were two officers armed heavily with anti-assault gear watching them.

"What're you kids doing?" Called a police officer.

"What does it look like?" Griffin asked sarcastically.

"Don't get smart with me, punk." The other officer shot back. "Answer the question."

"I was making out with my boyfriend." Griffin said derisively. "Is there a law against that?"

Yami held his breath as Griffin suddenly pulled him back into his arms.

"Play along." He whispered.

Yami forced a smile. "That's right. Got a problem with it?"

"Didn't you notice there's a gang war going on?" One officer asked incredulously.

Yami gave him a sarcastic look. "Take a look at us, officers," He said defiantly. "D'you really think we're going to notice anyone else?"

Up ahead, the officers exchanged knowing smiles.

"Alright," One officer said lowering his weapons. "You two better beat it though, the south side's no place for teenagers, there's a war going on here."

"Sure," Griffin said practically dragging Yami out of the alleyway behind him. "Only because you asked so nicely."

Five minutes later, the flustered officers were far, far behind and Yami was once again holding onto Griffin for dear life as Griffin's huge, black motorcycle barrelled at breakneck speed back to the school.

Yami could've collapsed out of sheer happiness as he slid off the bike gratefully, finally back at school again. He gripped the bars of the gates, looking up at the eerily darkened school ground in pure relief. He had never felt so glad to see it in all his life.

"God, you ride faster then Leo." Yami whispered more to himself. "And so much more dangerously then _Bakura_…"

"Well that was slightly more entertaining then I figured it'd be." Griffin commented idly, suddenly sounding very close.

Yami whirled around, suddenly coming face-to-face with Griffin again, and once more trapped against the unforgivingly solid gates, and now at the mercy of the other.

"What's the matter?" Griffin asked, glancing over him. "Did that bar freak you out?"

Yami stared at him, slowly shaking his head. To be honest, he'd actually had fun. For some reason he had enjoyed watching the bar fights break out, adored the exhilaration of breaking the law by getting involved with the violence and ordering drinks despite being underage - even if he didn't get time to drink them when they had had to run for their lives.

The danger, the destruction, the violence… it had all excited Yami in a way he'd never felt before.

And it was so wrong.

If he had done this yesterday with someone else, he would've been so ashamed of himself for doing it, so hated all crime and violence to innocents, not stood there and admired it in all it's glory…

Anxiety flooded Yami.

What was happening to him! This was wrong! So wrong! He shouldn't like carnage and devastation, shouldn't have taken pleasure in watching others suffer - he was supposed to protect people! This was so, so, incredibly, wrong…

Yami gazed up at the exotically gorgeous Griffin still looking at him with such lust in his eyes. Instantly the sensations of Griffin's lips over his skin, his touch, everything came flooding back.

"You know," Griffin said softly, moving ever closer to Yami. His green eyes glittered in the darkness as they locked on the other's. "You have prettiest eyes Yami…like…rubies…"

Yami couldn't move. He was trapped in Griffin's arms as well as his own tide of lust filling his form, pleading with him to do everything his mind was currently screaming at him to do…

He was attracted to Griffin, there was no doubt about that. The mystery of this teenager was so intriguing, his depth, his ways, his hidden secrets that made him tick so enticingly…it was just ignited way too much curiosity to be ignored.

Even now, Yami could feel his desire rising, the fantasies returning with a vengeance.

But his heart wouldn't allow it.

He couldn't do it, no matter how much Griffin made him want to.

Because Yami knew he would never love anyone other then Yugi. Yugi was his life, his world, his everything. And right then, Yugi was the only thing tying him to his heart and subduing his mind and body as they threatened to take over and do something he was going to regret to his soul for the rest of his life.

In the scope of everything, lust didn't compare to love. There was just no competition.

This was so wrong.

Yami should be with Yugi right now.

"Igottago." Yami said suddenly.

Without another word, Yami broke away from Griffin, grabbing his bag from the bush he had hidden it in earlier - and raced back home without looking back.

Yugi didn't even know it, but he had just saved Yami from something a lot more sinister then mere betrayal.


	8. Revelations 1

Note - Ooooo getting sinister now...

Note 2 - Yugi is more beautiful then Griffin! Shoot anyone who says otherwise! (I'll stress that a bit more later.)

Note 3 - Atemu Lover 34 where have you been?

ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter 8 - Revelations

Griffin watched him go.

Silent seething rage simmered ominously within him as his emerald eyes glinted with fury in the darkness.

That little Hikari had more of a hold over the Prince then he had realised. Their love was sickeningly pure, binding them tightly, almost unbreakably as one spirit, instead of two intertwined.

Despite the progress he had made in just one day, he knew it wouldn't be easy to break the bond of Light and Dark.

No…he would have to alter his ways.

The spell he was casting over the Prince wasn't enough. Even his potent magics were no match for love. He couldn't sever love with just a spell no matter how much of his magics poured into the Prince to drive him away from his Hikari. Even all the evil ideas Griffin was planting into the Prince's mind wasn't enough to turn him away from his perfect life much less his love.

The spell wasn't enough alone. Not until it was complete anyway. But still, the only way the spell can continue to be woven over the Prince was for Griffin to lure him into lowering his guard.

He needed to be tempted, genuinely tempted to forsake the Hikari and come to Griffin of his own free will…

Winning the Prince was going to take a lot more effort.

But the Prince had to be willing, that was the crux of the dilemma. He had to allow Griffin to get closer to him…very close…close enough to seal the spell once and for all…

But that Hikari - he was proving more of a problem. Griffin even suspected that it would've been easier to pry Yami away from the High Priest if they were still together. Alas no. Griffin had been granted a mortal form a month too late. So now he had to deal with the Light.

That little Hikari…

Perhaps he could organise a damaging accident for the sweet little Light…

Griffin smiled cruelly, already having several brutal scenarios running though his mind of a malicious and excruciating fate for the one who had so stolen the Prince's heart…but no. That wouldn't do.

No, he couldn't harm the Prince's lover. The Prince's compassion was endless, especially towards his Hikari. Harming his boyfriend would only bring them closer and tighten their bond further…no, Griffin had to think of something else. He needed to sever their bond, break them apart.

Only then would the beautiful Prince succumb to him…and Griffin would finally have what he had waited for millennia to have for his own.

The bond had to be severed…and the spell strengthened more and more, woven exquisitely around the Prince to lure him into another's arms…

And then…

Griffin smiled evilly.

Then…

One kiss was all he needed.


	9. Distress

Chapter 9 - Distress

Yami burst through the back door, slamming it shut behind him, half expecting Griffin to come crashing through it at any moment.

But then again, that didn't seem to be his style.

Breathing heavily, Yami pressed back against the door. "Didn't happen. Didn't happen. Didn't happen." He whispered.

"Er Yami?" Said a tentative voice.

Finally realising his eyes were closed; Yami's eyes snapped open darting to the other side of the huge kitchen where the backdoor was located. Around the kitchen table, pouring over several books and papers from two different projects were Sakura, Mokuba, Joey, Krysta, Seto and…Yugi.

Yami's heart leapt.

"Hey," Yugi greeted him with a smile. "How was deten -?"

He didn't get to finish. He was instantly cut off by a bone-crushing hug from his Dark - one that Yami didn't seem to want to end. Surprised, he let his Dark hold him for a moment, sensing the distress in his Dark's spirit.

"Yami," Yugi called after a moment.

Yugi gazed into surprisingly relived crimson eyes as Yami finally pulled back.

"Okay, seriously." Yugi stated looking at him with rising concern. "I know something's going on. You are acting way too weird today. What happened?"

Yami didn't reply.

Instead Yugi found himself out of his chair in less then a second and currently being half-dragged to the stairs by the wrist.

"Yami!" Yugi exclaimed, caught off-guard. "What're you doing?"

"Taking you upstairs," Yami said, unable to mask the need out of his voice completely.

"Why?" Yugi asked, managing to stop his Dark after some effort.

Yami looked at him, trying not to look as haunted as he felt. "I just want you okay? Thought you liked me being random."

"Sure I do," Yugi said quickly. He looked up at Yami sincerely. "But Yami I can't right now." He gestured to the other teenagers all watching the odd scene. "We've gotta finish our project, it's due in for tomorrow."

Yami stared at him for a long moment, sudden realising just what he was doing. Quickly, he dropped Yugi's hand, backing to the nearest wall. He suddenly felt so weak, he desperately needed the support.

"You're right…" Yami said quietly. "I-I'm sorry."

Yugi frowned at the reaction. "What's going on with you?"

Yami closed his eyes, rubbing his head as Griffin invaded his mind again, forcing every shred of thought of Yugi out of his mind. And every time he tried to fight back the thoughts of Griffin, throbbing pain would just erupt through his head.

"Yami?" Yugi said, suddenly concerned again as he glanced over his Dark. "Are you alright?"

"Headache." Yami said weakly. "I-I'm going to bed."

Yugi didn't have a chance to question him further, before his Dark vanished through the doorway, already racing up the stairs. A moment later, Yugi heard Yami's bedroom door slammed shut.

Slowly, Yugi turned around and glanced at his friends.

"Okay, you all saw that right?" He said. "I'm not just imagining this weirdness am I?"

"That was strange," Krysta commented. "Even for Yami."

"Plus he looked really freaked out when he burst in here." Sakura pointed out.

Seto's eyes narrowed. "Something's definitely not right."

Yugi glanced worriedly at the doorway Yami had fled through. "I'm going to check on him."

More anxious then ever now, Yugi jumped up the stairs and dashed down the corridor to Yami's bedroom. Surprisingly, he found the door half-open. He was sure Yami had slammed it shut; so he must've just gone out and back in again in a flash - because Yami was still in there.

But now Yugi could see he was well and truly conked out on top of his bed sheets.

Frowning, Yugi quietly entered the room and looked over his Dark.

Yami was lying on his front, still fully dressed. His face was buried in his pillow, clutching it as if desperately needing comfort for some reason…

Caringly, Yugi sat down on the bed beside Yami and gently shook his shoulder.

"Yami?" Yugi called softly. "Yami wake up."

But his Dark didn't move, just slumbered on - and apparently not having very peaceful dreams. Yugi watched with rising concern as Yami clutched the pillow tighter, a small, distressed, whimper escaping his lips as he snuggled deeper into the pillow.

Reassuringly, Yugi rubbed Yami's back as he slept. A light smile graced his lips as Yami visibly calmed down a little. His gaze caught something on the bedside table.

Yugi sighed.

It was a half-full bottle of extra-strength Night Nurse from the bathroom cabinet. And Yugi knew for a fact it had been full that morning, he'd seen it there himself. Yami must've just rushed into the bathroom to grab it and then drank half the bottle in a desperate attempt to get away from reality problems…the same problems he was refusing to tell Yugi…

Yugi's heart wrenched.

Yami was hurting for some reason and Yugi had just brushed him off in complete misunderstanding and now he'd taken medication just to pass out in less then a minute to escape everything.

Yugi reached out and picked up the bottle. Carefully he read through the instructions on the side, making sure Yami was okay to take that much in one go.

"Why are you doing this?" Yugi whispered feeling a little better about the sleep aid, but not much more about his boyfriend.

Not expecting, nor gaining an answer, Yugi leaned down and kissed his lover's lips lightly.

"I'll be back in minute." He whispered.

Reluctantly, Yugi stood up again and went back downstairs to the kitchen. To his amazement he found Mokuba and Sakura already clearing their stuff away.

"It's okay," Mokuba said cheerfully. "We're almost finished anyway; we can finish the last part tomorrow before school."

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked, surprised, but extremely grateful.

Sakura smiled. "Of course. You just go figure out what's with your boyfriend."

"Is he alright?" Joey asked, concerned.

Yugi shrugged helplessly. "I really don't know."

"What did he tell you?" Seto pressed.

"Nothing. Yami's just drunk half a bottle of Night Nurse and is completely out cold at the moment."

"He did what?" Sakura said, stunned. "Why?"

Yugi shrugged again, looking so lost, it was heartbreaking. "He obviously doesn't want to tell me."

Silence descended.

"Yugi."

Yugi looked up, startled at the address, straight into deep blue eyes.

"Watch him." Seto said simply, but so seriously, Yugi instantly felt uneasy. "There's a lot more going on then even Yami knows himself."

Yugi nodded. He frowned suddenly. "Weren't you taking Joey to yours to do your project?"

"That's a different one. This was group work, that one's pair-work." Seto said. "And we're going now."

Joey glanced up. "We are?"

"Yes, we are puppy."

Joey's gaze narrowed on him. "Do I get a say in any of this?"

"No."

Yugi left the guys to bicker and the girls to giggle as he headed back upstairs. Under any other circumstance he would have laughed along with them and admired just how adorably oblivious to the world Joey could be. But he just couldn't shake Yami's strange behaviour from his mind.

With a heavy heart he went back to Yami's room again as his friends carried on with their tasks, leaving Yugi free to try and figure out what was going on.

Back sitting beside Yami, Yugi looked over his boyfriend again. Yami looked a little better then before…mostly because Yugi's presence was there, and just subconsciously sensing him seemed to keep Yami marginally happy. Not to mention Yugi's touch; gently caressing Yami's cheek as he slept seemed to be calming him down too.

Slipping off his jacket, Yugi climbed up onto the bed and lay down beside his lover, gently slipping his arms around Yami's waist.

Yugi felt a wave of happiness slush through him serenely as Yami reflexively pulled him closer, drawing him into his embrace like so often he did, whether awake or not. Yugi sighed sadly, feeling Yami's troubled aura surrounding him.

"Whatever's wrong," Yugi whispered, holding his Dark tightly. "I'll always be here to love you." He closed his eyes. "And to listen when you're ready to tell me."

As Yugi fell asleep, he was completely unaware of what was already happening. No matter how hard Yami fought, or how much Yugi tried to hold onto Yami, it was no use.

This power was so much stronger then the two of them combined.

They wouldn't stand a chance against such power.

They never could.

The bond of Light and Dark was beginning to weaken.


	10. Threat

Note - Eclipse is the past form of Leo. He was Yami's protector, and older cousinback in Egypt. He taught Yami to fight. He used to be a Prince as well but revoked his title to secretly marry Luna, the High Priestess. (You'll find out more later.)

Chapter 10 - Threat

Magic knows magic.

Magic is drawn to magic.

But right now…that was an extremely dangerous thing to know.

Twenty-one year old Leo carefully placed his black crash helmet on the back of his sleek blue and black motorcycle. Through the darkness of the midnight hour, his striking azure blue eyes shimmered even more vividly then before…almost shining out with an inner light.

This was the mark of awakened magics.

Leo could sense the presence directly behind him. A presence he hadn't sensed in millennia. Yet this presence was possessed by a magical aura that even Leo had never sensed before.

But more worryingly, it was a magical signature no one has ever sensed within this very world.

And for very good reason.

Even currently in it's dormant state, unsummoned, the magical aura Leo could sense was disturbingly strong, stronger then even his own magics when they were fully awakened.

And right now, he could sense the alien magics surrounding them both, taking them to a plane where nothing but the darkness and the two of them existed. A plane where they were still in their world, but phased out slightly as the new magics surrounded them, making them oblivious to the world as itself.

Mostly - Leo guessed - this had been done to contain the pending screams.

Feeling the coolness of his motorcycle helmet vanish under his touch, Leo closed his eyes, still sensing the presence at his back - staring at him so familiarly…

"What are you doing here?" Leo asked calmly.

Behind him, Griffin smirked. But there was an edge to that smirk. He was well-aware Leo had already known he was there without having to even turn around and look at him. He was also annoyed by the fact that even after such a long time, Leo still had the ability to act all-knowing without even trying. Then again, most of the time Leo did know everything that was worth knowing.

"Still so defiant Eclipse?" Griffin taunted.

Finally, Leo turned around, and met him gaze for gaze. "Only to you Griffin."

For a brief moment the young men regarded each other.

"You remember me, I'm flattered." Griffin said coolly. "I was afraid your past life had eluded you."

"I would pay blood to forget you."

Griffin's conceited stance faltered slightly, touching a raw nerve.

Leo regarded him icily.

"You have no place here." Leo stated. "Leave now."

Griffin scowled, his gorgeous features altering to a twisted mask of anger. "Never." He hissed. "Still playing the all-powerful Prince Eclipse huh? Or is it just plain Master Eclipse now? Either way, both are equally unbecoming."

"As I recall," Leo said calmly. "I _am _the powerful, wealthy, beloved Prince of Egypt and, if I'm not mistaken, _you _are nothing by a worthless commoner. Isn't that right, Griffin?"

The other growled lowly at such audacity. "I grow tired of your constant degrading Eclipse." He smiled suddenly. "But now the scales have shifted into my favour after so long in the nothingness."

"It's too late Griffin." Leo told him. "Thousands of years too late."

"No," Griffin denied. "I have waited far too long. Now I have the power I need and now I have come for him as I promised I would on my death."

Leo's gaze narrowed on him, the azure blaze hardening to a glare. "You will never win him."

Griffin smiled sickeningly. "I do not wish to win him - I wish to take him." His green eyes blazed with a sudden inner blackness darker then the night around them. "I will make him mine."

In a flash, Leo summoned his magics, his regular shirt and jeans vanishing as his blue and black robes materialised in their place, his trade mark twin blue jade and golden swords already summoned to his hands.

Leo brandished his swords menacingly. "You will never have him."

Griffin's grin widened. "On the contrary, Eclipse."

Leo's eyes widened as something stronger, blacker and more powerful then anything he had ever felt, let alone seen before flashed though the air around the teenager. A moment later, Griffin was gripping a sword in each hand just like Leo.

But his were different - they were black, blacker then the darkness of the night. So black even the moonlight filtering down upon them didn't reflect back, but was lost forever like light falling into a black hole.

"Even you cannot stop me now."

Leo stared.

"How did you return?" Leo demanded. "You should be long dead. I was there the day they sealed away your evil-desecrated body. "

The other laughed derisively.

"I sold my soul," Griffin replied wielding his swords. "I sold my soul to the blackest heart of the universe…and in return I finally harnessed the ability to set it free…" He smiled hideously happily. "Now I have unlocked the power and I have summoned a new body to return to this mortal world and take back what has been stolen from me."

_The blackest heart of the universe…_

Leo's heart stopped in sudden, horrifying realisation. "No…"

Griffin laughed, loud, audacious and so evil, even the darkness of the night recoiled from him.

"But yes, Eclipse."

Leo only just managed to strike back as Griffin suddenly launched at him, wielding his swords like that of an expert.

With every artistic strike of magical black swords connecting with magical blue, blood red sparks of magical backlash showered out in a magnificent display.

Twin swords twirled in their masters' hands creating a magnificent swordplay show to the darkness surrounding them.

It was just like ancient times…only now the new foreign magic they were battling with was a lot more deadly then either of them realised, and they were battling for the right to live on and strike the other down.

But still the ancient flaws Griffin always possessed were still there.

"You always were a disappointing student." Leo commented, easily blocking the next attack only to lash back, slicing a clean wound into Griffin's upper arm.

Griffin growled lowly, glancing at the gash. "You were just a flawed teacher."

"Really?" Leo commented. "Odd how I could teach so many so well then isn't it? Even the pharaoh you so lust after, he was one of my best students."

"Silence!" Griffin shouted furiously. "You will never talk down to me again!"

Suddenly something changed.

Griffin invoked the power Leo was hoping to god he didn't know how to use.

"Griffin stop this now." Leo ordered. "You do not know what you're doing. This power was never meant for mortal hands."

But it was already too late. The power was summoned and there was no way he could've stopped it even if he wanted to.

The air around Griffin darkened further, turning to pure blackness, pouring into his green eyes until they were nothing but abyss stripped of all colour, all life, all compassion - everything that made him remotely human, leaving nothing but negativity.

"I control this power," Griffin stated. "And now, for all you have wronged by me, I will destroy you forever."

Leo's heart raced in sudden anxiety. Staring in pure dread, he watched as the power build up within the other teenager, the blackness of the ancient magics creating an ominous halo around his very form.

"Eclipse," Griffin seethed. "You denied me my Prince once. I will not let you come between us ever again."

Leo's blood ran cold as Griffin's evil grin slid back in place, looking so far beyond frightening on the once perfect face, now twisted in hatred and adorned by the blackest of eyes.

"You were reborn into this life as the all-powerful Fifth Element Ruled by the Moon." Griffin scoffed. He raised his swords once more. "Even as only the Protector of half the true Fifth Element, you are believed to be the strongest force apart from the second Proctor Ruled by the Sun. Let's see how true this is."

There was no way Leo could've ever won.

This new power wasn't new. It was old, ancient; it existed before the Fifth Element, before the mortal worlds, possibly before the universe itself.

It was truly all-powerful.

And no matter how much he fought back, no matter how much better at sword fighting he was then Griffin, the magically induced strength, power and ability to cause carnage was too much to handle - and quickly and easily out-stripped his own magical abilities.

No matter how powerful he was, Leo still could never have won against it. The gods would have to be on his side to even let him survive.

Another cry of excruciating pain ripped of Leo's throat as he fell to his knees, his blood pouring out of yet another stab wound, his entire body riddled with injuries that would've killed him long before if he hadn't been a magically blessed mortal.

Leo leaned heavily against his last remaining sword, having to stab it into the ground just for something to provide support for his dying body, wishing more then anything his ability to heal could be turned onto himself instead of just focused on others.

He stared in rising dread at his other sword, currently shattered over the ground beside him. His trusted, unbreakable, magical sword forged from pure elemental magic, now smashed to shards of blue jade and flecks of pure gold that could never be able to protect and defend him ever again.

There were only two types of magic that could ever shatter his sword, none of the other types were strong enough to destroy a Fifth Elemental forged weapon…and Leo was hoping to god he was wrong about which one he thought it was.

"Well Eclipse?" Griffin taunted.

On the verge of passing out from the pain and blood loss, Leo slowly looked up, only to find Griffin towering over him menacingly, looking slightly more human having dismissed his swords and regaining his emerald green eyes.

"Still think you're worth more then me?" Griffin asked.

Leo glared defiantly at him. "Even the rats that gnaw on your rotting body are worth more then you."

Griffin growled again, but the flare of rage was gone from his eyes in less then a second.

"No matter," He said dismissively. He grinned. "I've defeated the great Master Eclipse, and now also the legendary Protector of the Fifth Element. I suppose that's enough for one day." Griffin cackled blissfully. "Then again…"

Leo's heart pounded as he watched Griffin draw his hands together, summoning a globe of pure blackened magic into his palms, slowly, almost caringly pouring more and more destructive power into it, making the sphere large and larger as he spilled more and more of the ancient, concentrated, magic into it.

"Then again," Griffin said. "I would so love to kill you."

Leo watched as the blackness filled Griffin's eyes again. He knew what his fate was now, but he wasn't afraid for himself. He should've been, but he wasn't.

No…he was scared for every other living thing in the world. And every other mortal world in the universe.

"Griffin," Leo said softly. "You don't know what you're doing."

The teenager, glared at him. "I know exactly what I'm doing." He shot back angrily. "I'm righting the wrong you forced upon me millennia ago. I'm punishing you for forsaking me and my love!"

"He didn't love you." Leo told him. "It had to be done. There was no other choice. He wanted it this way."

"You had a choice, Eclipse." Griffin said murderously. "And you stole the Prince from me."

"He _didn't want_ to be with you."

"LIAR!"

Leo struggled to stay awake as Griffin suddenly pulled back his arms, aiming the magical sphere at him.

"You will pay with your very soul for the torment you have caused me." Griffin seethed. "For millennia I have suffered, and now I will have my revenge." His eyes glistened. "And I WILL have Prince Yami."

"Griffin listen to me," Leo said forcefully. "That was millennia ago, it doesn't matter anymore. But what you're doing does matter. This magic was never meant to be harnessed by a mortal. It's NOT even possible. This power shouldn't even be in our world. It's much too dangerous -"

"I know what I am doing. I have studied the arts for thousands of years -" Griffin stated obnoxiously.

"No you don't, you stupid kid! For once in your life listen to me!" Leo shouted angrily. "You honestly think you're controlling this power? This magic is controlling you. It's just using you and your desires until it had the means to break out completely. And then we're all screwed!"

"SILENCE!" Griffin ordered.

"Don't you get it?" Leo pressed. "This magic was abandoned from this world for a reason! Now you've set it free again -"

"ENOUGH!"

Leo halted, watching Griffin raise the sphere.

He gazed at Leo in suppressed anger. "This is the last time you forsake me, Eclipse. The last time." He smiled ominously. "And don't worry, I'll take good care of Luna's reincarnation. He will be dealt with personally by me."

Leo's fury blazed. "You _dare _harm him -" He started murderously.

"What do you plan on doing Eclipse?" Griffin sneered. "If you think about it, if she never agreed to marry you, none of this would have ever had to happen…so this is actually all _her _fault…"

"IF YOU TOUCH HIM, I'LL KILL YOU!" Leo shouted furiously, trying to get up.

Griffin laughed scathingly at his feeble attempts, watching happily as Leo fell down again, too weak to do anything more.

"Oh don't worry yourself, Eclipse." Griffin said dismissively. "Your lover can wait - what's her name now? Oh yes, Yue isn't it? A male reincarnation, how odd. A creation of moon magic. Hmmm, quite fitting for you - and quite obvious too, considering her past name -"

"You have no idea of the power you're messing with, Griffin." Leo stated.

"Yes I do." Griffin replied. "I've studied it each and every year I have been trapped between living and death. Five thousand years of the blackness has taught me all I need."

Leo shook his head, trying to fight back his pending death. "The blackness has only taught you what it wants youto think." He whispered, unfortunately too quietly for Griffin to hear.

Leo closed his eyes already knowing the cruel fate this one mortal was about to unleash upon the unsuspecting world.

"You're going to kill us all." He whispered.

"No," Griffin stated resolutely. "Just you."

He had no idea just how wrong he was, and just how right Leo usually was. But one thing was almost certain, Leo was about to die as Griffin let the deadly sphere fly.


	11. Repair

WARNING – Slight lime ahead. Plus major fluff.

Chapter 11 - Repair

Hands massaged deeply into Yami's back, so warm, firm and slick with spicy oils, kneading sensuously into his shoulder blades…

It was bliss…

Yami sighed contently under the loving touch, gliding so wonderfully over his body, searching, exploring, discovering all new ways to excite Yami's senses.

His heart leapt as he felt his lover lean down over him, the warm, balmy breath of the other flitting alluringly over his neck he was so close.

A soft moan escaped the former pharaoh's lips as an almost insubstantial kiss graced his fiery flesh.

"Yugi…" He whispered.

There was a soft chuckle.

"Not quite." Griffin whispered.

* * *

Yami bolted awake in a flash. Sitting up in his bed, his eyes instantly darted around the room, trying to fathom where he was. Finally realising he was still his own room; he forced his heart rate to slow down.

"A dream," Yami whispered. "Just a dream…"

Comforting arms encircled Yami's bare waist, hands sliding down his front, underneath the thin sheets as he was drawn lovingly back into an embrace.

"Still dreaming, lover." Griffin said softly.

* * *

Yami bolted awake again, his time jumping out of the bed altogether. Panting, it took his a second to realise that he was still in his bedroom and also still fully dressed as he had been when he had taken all the Night Nurse to escape the world of the waking - and all it's consequent problems. His heart thudded even harder.

And then he noticed there was another figure in his bed.

Now, unsure whether he was dreaming or awake, Yami slowly edged back to the bedside and looked over the sleeping figure, waiting almost patiently as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Hoping against hope it was his boyfriend, but half-expecting it to be Griffin, Yami carefully touched the sleeping teenager's shoulder, gently turning him into his back.

He released the breath he hadn't realised he's been holding.

It was Yugi fast asleep in his bed.

Feeling more relieved then ever, Yami sat down on the bed beside his lover, glancing at the time.

It was almost one in the morning.

He looked back at Yugi as his younger boyfriend turned onto his side again, snuggling adorably into the pillow. A smile crossed Yami's lips, Yugi was always the cutest little thing, even if he wasn't even aware he was being cute.

A warm wave of love ebbed through him. Yami sighed, he really did love Yugi more then anything. A spike of guilt stabbed unforgivingly into his heart. But as much as he hated himself, he really couldn't stop lusting after Griffin.

All yesterday, every glimpse, every touch, every word, every glance, every kiss…it all drove Yami crazy with desire. And now he was having multiple dreams of being ravished by some gorgeous guy he barely knew.

It actually sounded quite perverted.

And yet Yami couldn't stop. And even more disturbingly - he was beginning to like it.

Feeling overly wretched again, Yami stood up and walked to the desk, silently cursing himself for bringing Griffin up again. Now that new student was on his mind yet again with his exotic magnetism, completely and mercilessly overshadowing his love for Yugi.

He sat down at the desk and took out some random homework from his backpack, determined to do absolutely anything to get his mind off the mysterious teenager.

Hands grasped his shoulders, kneading deeply into his shoulder blades.

Yami froze.

"Yami?" Yugi's voice said gently.

The former pharaoh was so relieved he could've collapsed right there. Yami looked up as Yugi walked around the chair to see him.

Yami looked at his lover, feeling bad again. His Hikari looked so worried about him, with good reason; he knew he's been acting way out of character yesterday, ever since he's laid eyes on Griffin. Who could blame Yugi to be a little concerned?

Actually Yami wouldn't have blamed him if he had chosen to scream bloody murder at him for lusting after another guy.

But instead of saying anything, Yugi did something. The one thing Yami sure needed right then and somehow his Hikari just seemed to know it.

He leaned down and gifted Yami with a long, deep kiss, giving Yami all his love.

Opening his eyes again, Yami looked at his boyfriend through the thin darkness.

God, Yugi was so beautiful, even when he wasn't trying. He could be so perfect so easily, even the gods themselves couldn't do that. And even they had to be in awe of mortals sometimes.

Yami stayed still, bathing in his Hikari's loving, rich aura surrounding him in tenderness and warmth, gazing at Yugi through the veil of love that just seemed to stagger him with it's intensity every time his heart took over.

Seeing the love in his Dark's eyes was enough to spur Yugi on. Things had been so strange between them the day before; he was almost on the verge of thinking they were growing apart. But just feeling Yami's love again made him feel a whole lot better.

Wordlessly, Yugi leaned down and kissed Yami again, deeper and stronger then before. This time Yami, avidly responded, desire quickly taking them both over.

Moments later, both their shirts adorned the floor and Yami was reaching up to pull Yugi into his lap.

Catching his hands, Yugi smiled and shook his head. Through the darkness, Yami watched as his lover stood up and slowly… stripped.

Once again, Yami marvelled at his boyfriend's beauty as Yugi moved closer again to catch his lips, whilst a hand unzipped Yami's pants and slid inside...

Five minutes later, Yugi was straddling Yami's waist, still in the chair, in the middle of doing something incredibly intimate.

Another moan escaped Yami's lips, his back arching in sheer bliss as his head fell back against the back of the chair. Straddling his Dark's waist, Yugi leaned back for better access, letting Yami grasp his hips, guiding his body along his length as they made, slow, sensual love in the middle of the night.

God, how Yami loved having sex with Yugi like this. He could see those shimmering amethyst eyes looking at him as their bodies connected so lovingly, making passionate love as well as having those eyes that he adored so much, centred only on him and full of the tenderness that Yami cherished so much.

It was so incredible each and every time they were together.

Once again, Yami marvelled at those amethyst eyes as they locked on his once more, managing to some how glint with wicked mischievousness and shining innocence at the same time - a look only Yugi could ever pull off.

And Yami couldn't help but pull him into another passionate kiss as a hand slipped from Yugi's waist down to his front to pleasure him as much as he was pleasuring Yami.

It was pure ecstasy…

After what seemed like a lifetime later, both deeply climaxed simultaneously, enjoying the ripples of pure pleasure as they collapsed into each other's arms.

Breathing deeply, Yami held his Light close, never wanting to let go. The entire escapade of yesterday was wiped clear from his mind, leaving nothing but Yugi and himself in their own perfect world together.

"Happy Anniversary," Yugi whispered.

Yami opened his eyes and pulled back to look at his Hikari, already smiling.

"Sure is," Yami replied softly. He sighed contently. "Even if it isn't here yet."

Yugi blushed. "Oops, still have a day to go don't we?"

Yami looked thoughtful. "I guess we just have to do this again tomorrow night then…"

Yugi's eyes softened seductively. "Why wait?" He whispered.

A sweet giggle escape Yugi as Yami scooped his lover, bridal style into his arms and took him back to the bed. Quickly stripping off Yami's already half-off trousers, the boys happily jumped under the covers together.

Yugi sighed contently feeling his Dark's arms slip around his waist from behind, laying a soft kiss on the back of his neck as he pulled his Hikari lovingly back against his chest.

Life just didn't get any better then this.

"I love you." Yugi whispered blissfully.

There was silence.

Yugi's eyes opened, and his previous anxiety returned with a vengeance.

There was more silence.

His heart pounded as he felt Yami pulled back slightly.

And then, a moment later, he turned Yugi via the shoulder onto his back.

Yugi almost burst with relief as he saw Yami's vivid crimson eyes almost glowing through the darkness just to look down at him full of love.

"I love you too." Yami told him, giving him a soft kiss. "Love you so much you drive me crazy every time I see you."

His Hikari smiled. "So that explains all the random kisses?"

Yami shrugged. "No, I just do that because I feel like it."

Yugi giggled as his Dark promptly attacked Yugi's neck again, tracing a line of kisses up his jaw to his lips - achingly slowly.

"Yammiii…" Yugi complained softly. "Don't tease me."

"What?" Yami replied innocently. "It's our anniversary - so I get to have more fun with you then usual. It's the rule."

Yugi smiled. "There's a rule?"

"There is now."

Yugi pulled back slightly. "So just because you say so, it's a rule?"

Yami smiled playfully. "I'm pharaoh; I can do anything I want. _And _make up rules." His eyes glistened. "So I could order you never to wear clothes again if I wanted, and you'd have to do it."

Yugi giggled as he pushed Yami back as he tried to kiss him.

"So this rule," Yugi said pointedly. "I think the rule shouldn't stand because it's not our anniversary yet. Therefore, you can't have more fun with me until tomorrow."

"Tough, I made the rule. So the rule stays." Yami stated, trying to kiss Yugi again.

Yugi pouted cutely, still holding him back. "No, the rule is wrong, I move for immediate revising of the rule."

Yami pulled back and looked at Yugi shrewdly, his voice laced with a mock-lethal tone. "Are you _defying _the rule?"

Yugi bit his lip, unsure how to answer, so chose look as innocent as possible. "Maybe."

Yami made a face at him and turned away. "Fine no more sex for you. Or tomorrow either."

He tried not to smile as his giggling lover pulled him back, but it was no use. He felt so happy, the smile couldn't be quelled.

"Okay, okay I concede to the rule." Yugi said surrendering. "But only on one condition."

Yami looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

Yugi gave him a deceptively sweet smile. "You go get the essential oils from the bathroom."

Yami smiled.

And it was ultimate bliss for the rest of the night.


	12. New Plan

Chapter 12 – New Plan

Griffin glared up at the window to the Prince's bedroom. He had sensed the Prince's sudden anxiety as he had awakened, even more so during the dreams.

He had been very pleased when he had sensed his spell strengthen over the Prince, giving him those dreams then gradually pulling him over to Griffin's favour.

But still…

Griffin growled, frustrated, into the night air.

Eclipse was gone, the Prince was slowing succumbing to his charms - he should be ecstatic, but he wasn't.

No, he was currently deathly furious at that bloody Hikari.

That goddamn boyfriend had yet again quelled the spell, shoving its influence away merely by awakening to stem the Prince's doubts and then also tempting the Prince enough to restore their love and marginally breaking bond.

Tempting _his _Prince…

Griffin seethed inside.

That Hikari was beginning to grate on his nerves. And for a little mortal Light, that was definitely no match for Griffin, that was a dangerous thing to be doing.

By tempting the Prince that damn Hikari was unwittingly stunting Griffin's spell. So now he had to think of something to get rid of him, without accidentally bringing them closer together. At this rate his spell would never finish its work and he'll never get what he had waited so long for.

Accidents were out of the question - the Prince would only just get more concerned and will never leave the Hikari's side, and so never leaving him vulnerable to Griffin's spell.

And he couldn't kill off the Light either…wait…no, no he couldn't, then Griffin's presence would be known before he'd had the chance to take the Prince for his own. Then he would just be turned against by his love and banished back into the blackness he had sold his soul to.

No, he couldn't kill the Hikari before he gained the Prince entirely. Griffin grinned to himself.

So much pleasure he will take in extinguishing that Hikari's life…

But for now, he couldn't be touched, not yet. First he had to deal with the Prince. If the Hikari was currently untouchable, it would have to be something else to aid the spell.

Hmmm…something else…

Griffin growled in frustration.

It was no use. There was no other way. Even with Eclipse well and truly out of the way, that Hikari was unknowingly protecting the Prince well enough to stop him from falling into the spell.

There was nothing more Griffin could do but continue to lure the Prince away.

Then again…he could use his power to give the Hikari something to worry about…

Yes, that was perfect…

Griffin smiled, glancing once more up at the darkened Prince's bedroom window. More ideas formed in his mind. He chuckled evilly.

"The art of jealousy…"


	13. Trust

Note – this took me ages, please be nice in reviews. And yes, the following story involving the clinic did happen to my friend Tori – it was hilarious.

Note 2 – Can more people read 'Virtue' please? I'm wondering whether or not to do more fics like that oneshot – or maybe like the other oneshots. Thanks.

Chapter 13 - Trust

The sunlight spilled joyously onto the bed as Yugi awakened. Feeling the warmth falling gently over his face, he rolled over to snuggle happily into Yami's embrace.

His arm came into contact with nothing but the softness of the mattress.

Yugi's eyes snapped open.

Half-blinding himself, Yugi sat up. "Yami?"

A moment later, his Dark walked in. Yami watched as his little Hikari rubbed his eyes, dispelling the last of his sleepiness and finally look up at him again.

"Morning." Yami greeted him, sitting down on the bed beside him.

As Yugi went to say the same, he halted. Instead his jaw dropped.

"But you're…" He murmured.

Yami frowned, watching his Hikari's gaze dart from him to the bed and back again. He did this a few more times before Yami caught his cheek in a cupped palm to make him stop.

"Tenshi, what're you doing?"

Yugi stared at him. "You're awake before me." He stared even more. "And you're dressed for school." He glanced at the clock, now looking ominously paler. "And you're _early_…"

Yami raised an eyebrow, wondering where this was going. "Yes…"

His Light looked like he was going to faint.

"But that's - impossible!" Yugi exclaimed suddenly.

Yami stared at him, surprised. "What?"

He shifted back slightly as Yugi bolted up onto his knees studying Yami closely.

"How can you be up before me?" Yugi pressed, stunned.

Yami shrugged. "I was awake so I got up."

Yugi still looked like he was going to collapse.

"Are you sick?" Yugi asked quickly. "Do you feel okay? Couldn't you sleep because of that?"

Yami's eyes narrowed on his Light, feeling more then a little vexed now. "Just what are you trying to say, my little Hikari?"

A smile finally spread across his lover's face. "I'm saying, it usually takes a team effort to get you out of bed on a school morning - and you're never on time."

Yami smiled. He couldn't believe the admiration shining in Yugi's eyes. For the first time the Dark side realised he was probably a little lazy in the mornings…and so Yugi was quite possibly right…after all it had taken three teenagers, and a surprisingly drill-sergeant-like grandfather to get him to wake up the day before…

What could he say? He liked his sleep. Sleep was good.

Then again…he was currently seeing the advantages of waking up early - and he had only just noticed Yugi was still completely nude beneath the thin sheet...

He really wasn't that good at controlling his hormones.

A split-second later, Yami had Yugi pinned to the bed.

"I suppose I can try and wake up earlier from now on," Yami said softly. He smiled watching his lover's eyes widen in shock as well as excitement. "As long as I can do this…"

Yugi shivered as Yami slid his hands over his naked body, simultaneously leaning down to capture his lips in another heart-searing kiss.

Waking up early was beginning to seem like a better idea more and more…

Twenty minutes later, the boys were back in the kitchen, fighting over the last croissant as Sakura and Krysta walked in.

"Morning." Krysta said less then cheerfully. She looked up at the playful yelling and equally cute play fight. "Hey guys?"

For a moment Yugi and Yami didn't notice, the former pharaoh too caught up in teasing his Hikari by snatching the croissant and holding it up high enough so Yugi couldn't reach it and so had taken to tickling Yami until he gave it back.

"HEY!" Sakura said sharply.

Instantly, silence fell.

"Okay…that was weird." Yugi commented gazing at her.

"Sorry," Sakura said. "But this is important."

The boys looked at the girls, hearing the unmistakable sound of anxiety in Sakura's voice.

"What's wrong?" Yami asked, concerned.

"Have you guys seen Yue this morning?" Krysta asked. "Or last night?"

The boys shook their heads.

"I thought he was still asleep." Yugi said. "You said he's weakest during the absent moon phase isn't he?"

"Doesn't he usually sleep through the whole day?" Yami agreed.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, but that was over last night, and well…"

"He's not in his and Leo's room, or the rest of the house." Krysta told them. "Actually we haven't seen him in a while."

"Maybe he went out with Leo." Yami suggested. "He's not home either."

Yugi glanced at his lover. "Yes he is, his bike's out front."

"Wait," Krysta said. "Did you see him last night?"

"Grandpa said he came back around four to drop off a strawberry cake for us." Yugi told them. He frowned, beginning to get a little more worried. "But Leo said he had to go back to work, I don't think we saw him come home last night, he must've been working late again."

Sakura frowned. "How can his bike be here if he isn't? He always takes his bike to work."

"Are his keys here?" Yami asked. "Maybe he went out for something and didn't take his bike."

Sakura ran out the door and dashed back in a moment later looking even more worried.

"His keys aren't here - hang on."

The others exchanged confused glances as she dashed out again, this time through the corridor to the adjoining Game Shop, running past a startled Grandpa and out the shop completely. She returned another two minutes later.

And held up a set of keys.

"Grandpa says he didn't hear him come in last night either," Sakura stated. "And Grandpa hears _everything_."

Krysta's heart jolted in anxiety. "Okay, now I'm getting freaked out." She looked at her friends. "You all know how much he loves his bike, right? There is no way in hell he'd leave his keys in the ignition all night."

"Plus, he wouldn't be able to get in the house without taking them out." Yami mused. "Okay, this is getting strange."

Yugi shook his head. "I don't get it, Leo wouldn't just take off would he?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, he's not like that. He knows how much our circle of friends attracts danger. Taking off is just asking for trouble."

"Okay, so now we've got Leo and Yue missing." Yami stated. "This conversation just keeps getting better and better."

Krysta bit her lip. "Alright, this is getting weirder. Where are Leo and Yue? Leo's supposed to be at work but his bike's here and his keys are left outside. And Yue never goes out without asking one of us, no matter how many times we tell him he doesn't have to as long as he's careful not to let anyone see him."

"Maybe Yue just went for a flight." Sakura said. "I mean, his bed's not even been slept in…"

"Which means Leo didn't sleep here last night either…" Krysta frowned. "So where the hell did my brother go? Then where did Yue go?"

There was confused silence.

"Look, if they're both gone…maybe Leo just whisked Yue away for a little while," Yugi suggested. "He's done it before hasn't he?"

"Well, yeah…" Sakura agreed.

"I suppose so…" Krysta added. "He's used his magics to transport them away before for dates and things…"

The girls still looked unconvinced. Yami and Yugi exchanged glances.

_/That is quite weird for those two./ _Yami commented through the mind link. _/The girls have every right to be worried. What could've happened to them/_

_/I don't know, it is really weird. Plus Yue asks permission every time he wants to go out no matter how many times the girls say he doesn't have too./ _Yugi agreed. _/He even asks when Leo takes him away -/_

"Hang on," Yugi said suddenly. "Did you say Leo's keys are outside, untouched, but he's not been here all night?"

Sakura nodded. "That's right."

"And Yue's gone too? All night? And he's recovered from the absence of the moon's magical light?"

A thought struck Yami at his Hikari's words. "Is Yue's window open?"

Krysta sighed in relief, suddenly realising where he was going with this. "Yeah, it was."

Yugi nodded with a sweet smile. "Maybe Yue took Leo away instead."

"And they stayed out together." Sakura finished, feeling a hell of a lot better. "Yeah, that must be it."

Krysta laughed. "Leo must've put up a fight though, he hates flying. Could probably explain his forgotten keys too. Yue probably just took him despite the protests - he's good at that."

"Leo's scared of flying?" Yami asked, surprised. "I thought he wasn't scared of anything."

Now significantly relieved, the teenagers resumed getting ready for school.

"Oh he'll never admit it," Sakura said tossing Krysta her shoulder bag. "But he seriously doesn't like flying with Yue. Teleportation, flying on planes or with his own summoned wings he'll fly - but not with Yue unless its an emergency, he's scared Yue would drop him or something. But in his defence, who wouldn't get freaked out if they were flying extremely fast well over two hundred feet high with just one person to look after you?"

Krysta smiled deviously. "Actually, if you really want to scare Leo - show him a syringe. That'll freak him well out of his mind."

"Needles?" Yugi repeated as they walked out the backdoor to walk to school.

Krysta nodded. "Yeah, he's got a thing about them. You should've been there the day his friends took him to get his BCG vaccination. Oh it was hilarious. His friends _actually _had to trick him into going to the clinic, then the doctor spent ten minutes chasing him around the surgery trying to give him the shot."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"No way," Yami said incredulously. "He cannot freak out at a tiny little needle."

"Well he did," Sakura went on, smiling. "When the doctor finally gave up, his four best friends joined the chase and another ten minutes later they all had to hold him down so the doctor could finally get to him."

Krysta shook her head, laughing at the memory. "Just imagine four twenty-one year olds - two girls, two guys - all sitting on top of Leo just to hold him down. It was so funny." She sighed. "But then the doctor couldn't get the needle into his arm because he was too tense."

"So Genie full-on kissed him." Sakura continued. "He was so surprised, he relaxed his muscles and finally got the vaccine."

The group laughed even more. And it lasted for a few minutes.

"He must've mad." Yami remarked finally calming down. "All his friends just turned against him like that?"

Krysta nodded. "Sure, but it was for his own good - plus Dad did actually rope them all into doing it - after all there was no way Leo would go to the clinic himself, he'd rather die of some scary disease then go near a needle." She smiled. "Oh he forgave his friends eventually. Right after they offered to buy him all the ice cream he could eat after work."

"Even Yue couldn't stop laughing when Leo told him what had happened." Sakura giggled.

"I wish we could've been there." Yugi sighed. "That's definitely a different side to Leo."

"One he doesn't show very often too." Yami agreed. "I mean Leo's always been…unbreakable. He doesn't back down for anyone - well except Yue."

"Well he's very powerful and he's very protective - two features that just scream big-brother-tendencies." Krysta stated. "It's just the way he is. You know how he acts like a big brother to _everyone _younger then him."

"Sure does," Yami agreed. He smiled. "It drives Seto mad."

"He is great though." Sakura commented.

There was avid agreement.

"Sure is, when you get past the teasing of course." Krysta agreed. "Don't tell him I said that."

Yugi smiled. "I hope Yue took him somewhere nice."

The group glanced up at the sounds of familiar yelling. And instant smiles broke out. Just up ahead, walking through the school gates were Bakura and Tristen practically beating each other to pulp as they went, whilst a very embarrassed looking Tea and Ryou meekly followed them, trying to blend into the background.

"I wonder what Bakura said to him this time." Yami sighed.

Krysta cringed slightly. "Yeah, I heard about the one-night-stand scene…poor Tristen. Bakura really knows how to cause trouble."

"That's basically what he lives for." Yami said flatly.

The four walked though the gates, catching up to their other friends and walking back onto the grounds. whilst keeping Tristen and Bakura safely away from each other, they headed to their usual table under the oak tree, to await the registration bell.

but the moment Yami walked though the gates - he instantly remembered everything that had happened the night before.

He hadn't thought about yesterday for hours since those dreams - and not even thought twice about what had happened in murder-ville and also right here at the gates. But now with Yugi up front chatting with the blissfully with others, Yami's mind was already wholly focused on Griffin again, inexplicably filling his mind and pushing all thoughts of Yugi clear out.

Turning back, he stared at the gates, remembering just how exhilarating it had felt to be pressed up against it with Griffin's perfect form so enticingly close to him…

"Reminiscing?" Asked an amused voice.

_That aura…that voice…_

Yami's breath hitched. He glanced up into vivid green eyes.

"Griffin." He breathed.

The other teenager smiled serenely. "Nice to know you haven't forgotten me." He chuckled. "So are you?"

Yami tried not to stare, but it was surprisingly hard. "Am I what?"

"Reminiscing."

"About what?"

Griffin laughed. "Last night of course. Try and keep up Yami."

Yami felt suddenly unsteady as he heard his name fall once more from Griffin's lips. Finally getting a grip on himself, Yami shook off his dreamlike state and composed himself.

"Oh right…" Yami said. He bit his lip his mind flashing back to the hugely dangerous two hours he had spent with the new student. "It was…interesting."

_Actually it was incredible_, his mind said maliciously.

Yami silently cursed himself.

_I really liked watching the fights break out…and breaking the law…especially pretending to make out with you…_

"Well, in any case," Griffin said breaking into his currently running wild train of thought. He stepped closer to the former pharaoh, his voice lowering as he leaned closer. "I'd just like to apologise for anything I did wrong towards you last night." He whispered. "Your boyfriend's very cute and I didn't mean to make moves on you. I honestly didn't mean anything by it."

Yami shivered, hearing the sexily low voice as well as feeling that balmy breath flit alluring over his skin again, Griffin was so close. He could feel Griffin's fingers lightly grazing his side, gently drawing him closer just by placing a hand on his hip…

He was so distracted he barely heard half of what the other was saying - so he just said the first thing that came into his overly-submissive mind.

"That's okay."

Griffin hid a smirk, silently and discreetly pouring more and more of his evil magics into Yami's aura. Taking full advantage of Yugi's absence he weaved the spell denser and denser around him, completely unaware by Yami himself.

Gaining more and more control, Griffin used it to his full advantage.

Yami's breath hitched as the other reached up and lightly swept back a blond lock from his eyes, making Yami's skin tingle slightly under the sensual touch.

"Stray lock," Griffin said softly.

"Uh huh…" Yami said, once more falling into a slight daze just by gazing into those green eyes.

Unknown to Yami, his usually vivid crimson eyes dulled in their intensity…suddenly being invaded by a blackness that even he didn't notice…


	14. Wrong Ideas

Chapter 14 – Wrong Ideas

"Is Yami around?" Joey asked, suddenly appearing at the friends' regular table.

Yugi glanced up in surprise at his friend's sudden presence as well as his oddly serious tone. "Sure he's right - hey where'd he go?"

"Hey look." Krysta said suddenly. "He's over there taking to some guy."

Tea's eyes widened appreciatively, already hooked. "Wow, what a babe! Who is that guy?"

Joey frowned. "Hey that's the new guy…what's his name - Griffin."

"The Egyptian new guy?" Krysta asked.

"Apparently." Tristen said. He raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, talk about getting up close and personal, that guy's all over Yami."

"What?" Yugi said, glancing over in surprise.

Yugi stared over that his boyfriend, following his friends' gazes. He blinked, taken aback. The others were right…Yami was talking to that guy he had seen the day before in Yami's geography class when Yami had suddenly kissed him.

"I didn't know they were friends." Yugi commented.

They watched as Griffin leaned even closer, idly brushing back a blond lock from Yami's eyes, gazing down at him as if he was thinking about doing a lot more then talking to Yami…

Joey's gaze narrowed. "They didn't even meet yesterday - I would've seen them."

"Well they look like they met sometime or other, and made a _very good _impression on each other…" Bakura said slyly. He smirked. "Looks like they're having a great time over there. I wonder what else they've been up to - OW!"

"Ignore him," Ryou said as Bakura grumbled various curses in Egyptian whilst glaring at his Hikari. "I'm sure Yami's just being nice to him, it's hard enough being new without anyone to talk to."

Yugi watched Griffin and Yami for a minute, feeling more and more uneasy. They were standing really close…now Griffin was leaning even closer to whisper something in Yami's ear…

Yugi's heart twisted uncomfortably with the tiniest stab of jealously.

No, this is stupid, he said to himself. They're just talking. Ryou's right. He's new, so he needs someone to talk to - that's all…

Even the little voice in his head didn't sound too convinced.

They were standing extremely close…

…and touching an awful lot…

"Well he doesn't seem trustworthy." Said another voice.

Yugi glanced up at Seto, suddenly joining them. "What do you mean?" He asked, frowning slightly.

Seto didn't return his gaze; instead he glared at Griffin with those deep blue eyes of his. "I think you should get Yami back here NOW."

Yugi stared at him for a long moment, before looking back at his boyfriend. His heart thudded uncomfortably. He watched with rising shock as he saw Griffin's and Yami's eyes lock for a long moment, full of …lust?

Now that looked far from innocent.

Quickly, Yugi opened the mind link.

_/Yami/_

Across the grounds, Yami visibly flinched, startled.

Unaware by all, Griffin's eyes darkened, struggling to control his sudden fury as Yami's attention faltered - and so did the spell.

Not noticing the change in the other, Yami turned away, mentally opening the telepathic connection from his end.

_/Yes tenshi/ _Yami said back through the link, glancing over from were he stood.

_/What're you doing/_

_/I was just talking to a friend, is something wrong/_

Yugi hesitated. _/Um…no…/_

Across the grounds, Yami turned back to Griffin with a smile.

Griffin's mask of rage was gone in an instant. Much like the blackness in Yami's eyes. They were right back to the usual cerise that so captured the attention of anyone who looked upon him.

"Sorry, I completely forgot about my boyfriend," Yami told him. "He's waiting for me."

"Of course," Griffin replied, secretly aware of the mind link between the lovers and currently refraining from blocking it and announcing his magical power. "You should go then."

"Want to come over?" Yami offered. He glimpsed his friends. "Looks like they're already wondering who you are. And I think Tea wants to hit on you."

Griffin smiled. "Sorry, I'm not one for big crowds. And there's somewhere I need to be."

"Okay." Yami said, unable to mask the disappointment in his voice.

Griffin chuckled softly, aware of his reaction and suddenly took Yami's hand, pulling him even closer.

"I'll see you later," He whispered into his ear.

Griffin smirked inwardly as he threw a casually glance over the on-lookers' way, offering the Hikari a brief flash of emerald green before he abruptly dropped Yami's hand and walked away.

Feeling incredibly stunned in a great way, Yami watched him go, practically dazed on the spot. Before, finally, clawing back his mind to work effectively once more and walked back to his friends.

Two minutes later, Yugi was feeling increasingly uncomfortable next to a very spaced out Yami. He had definitely seen the last goodbye his lover and Griffin had shared - and it had looked suspiously like much more then new friends saying 'see ya later'. And now his Dark wasn't even noticing anything going on around him. He was totally zoning out, with his chin propped up by an arm, still staring absently at the place he had just been talking to Griffin.

Yugi frowned, feeling even more uneasy.

"Yami?" He tried tentatively.

Yami didn't even blink let alone notice.

Yugi bit his lip, trying to ignore the strange sense he was getting from his Dark, and now worryingly from his own mind.

No, he thought firmly. This is stupid, they were just talking, friends taking, that's all, nothing more…

His thought trailed off as another one rudely interrupted.

_People didn't really get that up close and personal with someone they'd just met. _

And Yugi just couldn't get that weird look he had received as those green eyes had momentarily locked on his own for that brief moment out of his head. It was like Griffin was silently conceited about something, as if him and Yami had a secret that only they knew…

Yugi really wasn't the type to judge people instantly without knowing anything about them, but he seriously couldn't shake the bad feeling he was getting from that new student.

It was just too - odd. And Yami really was acting so freaky ever since that guy started in Yami's year.

Was it him? Yugi thought. Maybe Griffin is the reason Yami's acting so strange. But they only just met…

The scene from before flashed through his mind.

People didn't really get that up close and personal with someone they'd just met.

_Unless something had already happened._

That little voice in Yugi's head really was the malicious type. Of all his other great qualities, the universe had been mean enough to provide him with the most evil of all consciences. So now he was getting increasingly nervous as overly malicious thoughts, that he tried not to think about, invaded his mind mercilessly anyway.

He tuned out of his friends' casual conversations as he sat there watching his Dark. Yugi shifted uncomfortably again, trying not to look as haunted as he felt as he gazed at Yami.

He had been doing it for a while now. And still Yami hadn't realised it. He was still staring absently into space, lost in thoughts. Even when they had all interrogated Yami when he finally made it over, he'd been as vague as ever in answering their questions. Even somehow quelling Tea's interest in the gorgeous new student - which was actually quite an impressive feat for anyone.

Yami wasn't acting like Yami. And it was seriously getting to Yugi now. Something was going on - and he knew it. He just didn't know _what_.

Across the table, Seto took a break from staring dreamily at Joey - who was in turn blushing furiously, but still defiantly trying to act like he didn't notice - and stared at the couple instead. He could sense something majorly wrong in this picture.

Seto's gaze narrowed even further on Yugi.

He had already noticed the change in the couple, especially the uneasiness practically radiating off Yugi - but Yami was still blissfully unaware, and it was grating on Seto's nerves.

"Yami!" He said sharply.

Yami practically jumped out of his skin, accidentally jolting the table, making everyone stop and look at him startled. The former pharaoh cast annoyed crimson eyes onto his ex-boyfriend.

"Will you stop doing that!" He half-shouted, irritated.

Seto glared back. "Stop spacing out and I'll stop doing it." He stated harshly. "What's going on with you?"

Yami stared at him confused. "Nothing. Why?"

Yami blinked seeing Seto's gaze flicker momentarily to Yugi. He glanced at his Hikari, still lost to what was going on as conversation resumed around him. Yugi was looking back, those amethyst eyes looking up at him strangely. They looked almost…suspious and…anxious?

"Yugi?" Yami said gently, finally focusing his attention on his Light. "What's the matter?"

Yugi looked down, suddenly blushing in embarrassment. "Oh, nothing. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

Yami smiled, seeing again just how cute his Hikari looked when he blushed. Without a word, he pulled Yugi up into his lap, catching his lips in a deep kiss before he even had a chance to figure out what was going on.

"U-um…" Yugi stammered a moment later, trying to claw his thoughts back into a working mind.

Yami smiled. "Sorry, couldn't resist." His cerise eyes shimmered. "You know you're too beautiful not to be kissed."

Yugi smiled up at him, once again being as perfectly beautiful as ever and completely oblivious to it himself as he snuggled into Yami's embrace. He sighed contently, half-listening to his friends around him as he stayed in his lover's embrace, feeling a little more secure then before now that all malicious thoughts had been scared away.

Above him, Yami struggled to keep the smile on his lips all for Yugi - but one again it was turning its attentions to Griffin.

_Dammit!_

Yami mentally screamed at himself as the mysterious Egyptian invaded his thoughts again, making him unconsciously grip Yugi tighter - a gesture, Yugi, unfortunately, didn't notice.

"So…" Seto said flatly. "How did you and Griffin meet then?"

Yami instantly involuntarily zoned out again. "Detention."

"Did anything happen in detention?"

Yami blinked, startled by the question as well as a little disturbed. "N-no. What makes you say that?"

Seto turned an intense glare onto him. "Because you just hesitated when you answered."

Yami felt Yugi stiffen slightly in his arms.

He steeled himself. "Nothing happened. Detention was boring so we just - talked."

Yami instantly hated himself the moment the words had left his lips. He had just full-on lied to his boyfriend and ex-boyfriend, not to mention all his other friends he suspected were also discreetly listening in too.

He was also completely stunned at himself. Nothing did happen, so what in the world possessed him to lie about it?

Well, only life-threatening things happened…nothing _physical_…

_Besides the fake making out…_

He felt incredibly guilty as Yugi relaxed against him again.

"Well, if that's it." Seto said dismissively. He smiled turning back to stare at Joey again. "I'll just go back to what I was doing."

Guilt really was a terrible feeling.

"Wait," Yami said suddenly. He turned Yugi to look at him. "Yugi I need to tell you something."


	15. Confession

Note - Come on people, be a little nicer to Yami, he is under a spell. and a very powerful one from a whole different source of magic that i'll tell you about later on.

Chapter 15 - Confession

"Yami can I talk to you for a minute?" Joey said quickly.

Before Yami could protest, Yugi was out of his embrace and Yami was being dragged away by the arm halfway across the grounds, until finally out of earshot and out of view behind a tree.

"Joey -" Yami started.

"Yami if you're gonna say what I think you're gonna say - you can stop right there." Joey ordered, cutting him off.

Yami's jaw dropped. "How did you -?"

"You're a terrible liar," Joey stated. "So bad that even I can see it. And you so cannot tell Yugi you've got something going with Griffin."

Yami's eyes widened, mortified. "It's not like that -!"

Joey glared at him the best he could. "Yami we could all see you! You were getting all touchy-feely with that new guy! You were practically having eye-sex for god's sake!" Joey glared at him even more. "And I remember the way you were staring at him yesterday during geography. I can't believe you're - "

"I know."

Joey stopped suddenly. He stared in shock at his friend. Yami was pressing a hand to his head, looking so incredibly defeated, it was almost scary. This time Joey's jaw dropped. Yami had never looked this defeated in his entire life.

And Joey just couldn't believe he was hearing his friend actually _confessing _that he was having an affair.

"You have got to be kidding." Joey stated on the verge of turning livid in a heartbeat.

Yami shook his head in despair. "No, ever since last night - I can't stop thinking about him. It's like he's on my mind all the time. Even when I'm with Yugi - like when I was just out there with Yugi on my lap…then I feel so guilty and I try and make it up to Yugi then -"

"Wait." Joey interrupted. He grasped his friends' shoulders, making his look up at him directly. "Yami, did anything _actually _happen?"

With a heavy heart, Yami told him everything that had happened after bailing on detention.

Joey sighed in relief. "Well, at least you ran away at the right time. Or I'd be strangling you right now." He ran a hand though his messy blond hair. "Explains why you acted so weird when you came back home yesterday too."

"I was going to tell Yugi," Yami said softly. "But he might get the wrong idea, and then he'll break up with me, then he'll hate me forever, then I'll just go kill myself again -"

"Okay, okay, calm down," Joey said reassuringly. "First things first, you did the right thing running off when you did. If you'd stayed, then you would've spectacularly broken Yugi's heart again and be in a world of hurt by now once I went off and told everyone else what you'd done."

Yami stared at him. "What?"

"Assuming, of course, that you didn't fight back." Joey added, blushing. "A herd of wild, stampeding elephants couldn't take you down."

"No, I meant, you knew that Yugi was in love with me when I was with Seto?" Yami asked.

Joey nodded. "Of course I knew. Who d'you think he came to crying his heart out when he walked in on you and Seto getting it on? He was heartbroken."

Yami bit his lip, feeling even worse then before. God, guilt was the worst feeling in the universe.

Seeing the reaction Joey quickly got back to the point. "Anyway I reckon, since nothing actually happened, you'd probably be okay to tell Yugi - he already knows something's not right. We all do. You're acting way out of character."

"I know."

"Right," Joey said. "So all you need to do is clear everything up and then you can go back to being the happy couple okay?"

Yami bit his lip, shaking his head. "I don't think so." He said quietly.

Once again the gorgeous image of Griffin took over his mind, sucking him mercilessly into those deep green eyes and alluringly mysterious personality that just seemed to shove all else aside.

Meanwhile, Joey was staring at him, once again thunderstruck.

"You have got to be kidding me." Joey said again.

Yami looked up at him, already knowing his friend had figured it out.

"No," Joey denied staring at him. "No, no, no, no, no, you _cannot _be serious."

"I swear, I've tried to not think about him." Yami burst out suddenly. "But every time I stop thinking about Yugi, he's there on my mind, and I keep seeing him everywhere and now he's in half my classes -"

"NO! Yami can't do this!" Joey exclaimed. "You're going to break Yugi's heart! AGAIN!"

"I know that," Yami pressed, almost hysterical which was a first for him. "Joey I need your help. Every time I'm around him, near him, I just forget about Yugi and then all I can think about is how much I want to -"

"Don't say it," Joey intervened.

There was no choice. " - kiss him."

They fell into silence.

"That definitely sounds like one hell of a crush to me." Joey said.

Yami sighed, feeling more defeated then ever. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I love Yugi, I really do. But every time I'm near Griffin - I can't explain it, it's like he's casting a spell over me. And then I forget Yugi in an instant and let myself get drawn into that situation like last night. Dammit, why does he have to be so gorgeous? Yugi's so much more beautiful then Griffin - but I still can't stop thinking about him."

"Thank God you thought of your boyfriend in time though." Joey stated. "Or this would be a whole lot worse."

Yami rubbed his head, feeling another headache coming on. "What should I do? Even Yugi's beginning to wonder what's wrong with me."

"Well there's no way you're ever going to be able to keep this a secret." Joey said. "And we all know how badly secrets can screw things up, so I'm guessing maybe you should tell Yugi everything."

Yami nodded. "Yeah I was going to before you dragged me here."

Joey gave him a look. "Sorry, I thought you were going to confess you did something a whole lot worse then just pretending to make out with another guy."

Yami glared at him. "I would never do that. I'd die first." He took a deep breath. "Lust is nothing compared to love."

"Look," Joey said. "The way I see it, I think you've just got to keep away from this Griffin guy, okay? Since you're only getting the - urges - when you see him, you should probably spend as much time away from him so you can get over this crush okay?"

Yami nodded, leaning back against the tree as he glanced around the truck to see his lover. Yugi was back working on his project with Sakura and Mokuba, completely oblivious of just how close to straying Yami was becoming with every second spent with Griffin.

"I can do that," He whispered. "How hard can it be?"

All I have to do is avoid Griffin and tell Yugi everything, he thought in relief.

"Incidentally, did you know Seto has a crush on me?"

Yami blinked, startled. He definitely hadn't seen that one coming.

"What?" He said, confused.

Joey blushed. "Sorry, I didn't know how else to work it into conversation. I wanted to talk to you about it before you started this whole 'new-found-crush' thing."

A smile crossed Yami's lips. "So you finally figured it out huh?"

Joey's blush deepened, staring at Yami utterly scandalised. "You did know! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Joey, _everyone _knew. He makes it so obvious, yet you just chose not to see it. He's been wanting you for weeks now." Yami looked at him curiously. "Hang on - did Seto tell you all this yesterday? You said you had a project to do at his house."

"Um, yeah, but we didn't get very far on the project…" Joey looked away, biting his lower lip. "Yami…I wish you'd told me…" He said softly.

Yami watched with rising concern as Joey sighed deeply, before reaching up, and pulling his collar down.

Yami's jaw dropped.

There was a small dark pink bruise at the base of Joey's neck, just next to his shoulder.

"No way…" Yami said, struggling not to burst into happy giggles. "Seto kissed you?"

A timid smile crossed Joey's face. "Um, yeah, among other things… including this love bite, which he did bite me pretty hard…" He looked at his friend hopefully. "So you don't mind?"

"Mind what?"

"About Seto liking me? He is your ex and did used to be _literally _crazy about you."

Yami chuckled. "Of course I don't mind. Seto's well over me and he's liked you for ages."

Joey ran a hand through his hair, with a sweetly perplexed look. "See, that's what I don't get. Me and Seto fight all the time, he has a whole fan club of rich people's sons and daughters he could have in second _and _we have nothing in common. You and Seto had your whole lives in common - so what the hell does he see in me?"

"Well believe it or not Joey - you're hot."

Joey blinked, taken aback. "Really? You think so?"

"Well if I wasn't with Yugi - I'd bed you." Yami said helpfully.

Joey beamed. "Awww thanks, that's sweet."

Yami smiled. "Actually aside from your nice looks - Seto likes for who you are."

Joey frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, you're not as plastic and as made up as everyone else that seems to surround his everyday life outside of our group." Yami looked at his friend. "Joey, you're the only one who spends a tonne of time with Seto who isn't after anything other then an argument - that's something that Seto's never had before, besides me of course. And you're nice and compassionate and you're practically everything that used to be the complete opposite of him - didn't you notice how much he's changed since he's started liking you?"

Joey bit his lip again, slowly shaking his head. "I can't believe he likes me and I never picked up on it."

"Well you can be really dense when you want to be."

Joey glared at him.

The former pharaoh chuckled. "Well you never seemed to notice when Seto was staring at you all through yesterday, you didn't even flinch when he 'accidentally-on-purpose' fell on you during gym class."

"I knew he did that on purpose!" Joey exclaimed. He stopped and thought about this some more. "Only…not because he liked me…"

"By the way, when did you start using his first name?"

"Last night when he threatened to lock me in a room with Mokuba's pet tarantula if I called him Kaiba one more time."

"Oh,"

"That was just before he pinned me to the sofa and kissed me."

Yami cocked his head to one side, studying his friend. "You know, you're taking this a lot better then a lot of others Joey. It's not everyday a straight guy gets approached by a gay guy with a history."

Joey began to blush again. "Well, when he kissed me…I kinda - liked it."

"Really? You did? That's great!"

"Well, I'm not sure though," Joey said running a hand through his hair again. "How am I supposed to know if this is right? Am I gay? I mean, I still fancy Krysta like hell, and Tea looks surprisingly good in her underwear."

Yami smiled. "Sometimes it only takes one person to change your whole life Joey." His eyes widened. "Wait - when did you see Tea in her underwear?"

"I walked in on them changing when I was dating Krysta. They were being all girly and trying each others clothes on - how was I supposed to know Tea was in Krysta's room too?"

Yami sighed, shaking his head. "Did knocking ever occur to you? It seems to be a lost art these days."

"Talking from experience?" Joey shot back innocently.

Yami gave him a mild glare and thought for a moment. "Besides, you liked the kiss right?"

Joey nodded.

"Then just go from there." Yami suggested. "Sometimes you just need to go with the flow of things rather then fight against it." He shrugged. "Just see where it leads you."

Joey nodded, taking a deep cleansing breath.

"Okay," He stated. "I can do that."

"And I can take care of this crush…I think." Yami added.

Joey looked at his friend levelly.

"Okay, here's the plan." He said. "Today, _you _are going to avoid Griffin at all costs and get over this crush, and I'm going to get in Seto's way as much as possible and get him to kiss me some more so I can figure myself out."

Yami pouted. "Why is your task so much easier then mine?" He said in mock-complaint.

Joey grinned. "Because according to you, rich boy over there can't resist me." He laughed evilly, rubbing his palms together in such a cliché moment it should be banned from this story. "Time for a little teasing I think." He glanced at Yami. "But first things first - go tell your boyfriend everything."

Yami smiled, feeling so much better as Joey helpfully pushed him vaguely in Yugi's direction. He stopped, glancing up as the registration bell sounded through the school signalling the start of the school day.

"Oh great." Yami groaned.

"No problem," Joey said. "Just tell Yugi everything at break okay? And avoid Griffin for the first two lessons." He watched Yami bite his lip anxiously. "It'll be fine, don't worry. Now, go show Yugi how much you love him before we're late for homeroom."

Yami sighed, thanking the universe in general for such a great friend as Joey once again helpfully pushed him, and Yami ran back over to his perfect lover - giving him another random, but extremely heated kiss for all to see.

_Stay away from Griffin - okay, that seemed easy enough. I can do that. Okay. Besides…how hard could it be?_


	16. Enchanted

Chapter 16 – Enchanted

Yami sighed, leaning back against his locker. He hadn't felt so glad to hear the bell ring in his entire life. He smiled. There, he'd done it; he'd gone a whole two lessons without seeing Griffin or even thinking about him. Actually, that was more down to luck, chemistry and maths were two of the only three lessons he didn't have with Griffin in his class - but he was sure glad anyway.

The only downside was the only way he'd been able to do that is by fantasising profusely about Yugi and, so hadn't taken in a single word his teachers had said. Oh well.

Yami opened his eyes, sensing Yugi's presence nearby. Looking up, he noticed his beautiful little Light talking blissfully with Sakura at the other end of the corridor, just about to walk out onto the grounds along with the rest of the student body.

The anxiety bubbled up inside Yami, knowing what he had to do, but nonetheless, a happy smile crossed his lips as he watched his little Hikari. Despite everything, nothing made Yami happier then just knowing Yugi was around.

Suddenly, Yami was grabbed from behind.

Strong arms encircled his waist, jerking him back in a flash around the corner and into a deserted corridor.

He barely had time to gasp before he was roughly thrust up against a wall and pinned there easily, a hand already clamped over his mouth.

He could have so easily fought his way free…but something stopped him.

"Hey Yami." Said a sexily low male voice.

There was the familiar mysterious aura. And a very familiar firm body pressed against his own, crushing him fantastically into the wall behind him.

Yami felt himself involuntarily relax as he opened his eyes into a swirl of emerald green.

Griffin smiled. "Don't cry out."

Yami's heart was racing well out of control as Griffin slowly took his hand away and pried his gorgeous form away from being pressed up against Yami's.

Suddenly feeling a lot hotter then he had been before, Yami struggled to catch his breath as he looked up at the other.

"Griffin?" He said incredulously. "What was that for?"

The other teenager shrugged dismissively. "Just getting your attention."

Yami's gaze narrowed on him. "There are easier ways to get my attention you know."

Griffin's eyes glinted naughtily. "Yeah, but they're not half as fun." He grasped Yami's hand suddenly. "Come on,"

Yami gasped sharply as Griffin started to tug him away. "Wait! Griffin…" He bit his lip as the other turned back to him, casting those unforgivingly captivating green eyes onto his. "I, um, I have to be somewhere."

Griffin raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Um…I was supposed to go see my boyfriend." Yami told him hesitantly. He determinedly looked away, desperate not to lose his thread and give into anything the other wanted. "I need to tell him something."

And being around you is driving me insane with desire, Yami's mind added. I have to get away from you - NOW.

"Oh this won't take long," Griffin said sweetly. His eyes turned mysterious again. "Come on Yami - I only want to show you something, that's all. Come with me for a little while?"

Yami hesitated. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He wanted to see Yugi, he really did. But Griffin…he was so mysterious, and curiosity was what usually got everyone into trouble, and god, Yami definitely knew that fact.

But still…

Griffin took his hand again, looking deeply into Yami's eyes. He couldn't stop the lust from showing, he wanted Yami so much - a desire that had spanned millennia at a time…

The desire was too much to take. So as he gazed - he weaved his magics once more around the unsuspecting Yami, now left very vulnerable without his little Hikari's love to protect him through their gradually breaking bond…

"I-I can't…" Yami tried again, taking a step back.

Yami's head was suddenly pounding again. He couldn't think straight - there was something wrong with him, he knew it. But he didn't know _what_…

And suddenly, it was like he couldn't control his emotions anymore, as if they were under something's else's control; ever so slowly, leaking into his mind, making his want to do things he didn't _actually _want to do.

"I won't take long," Griffin said alluringly. He gently tugged Yami back towards him. "Just come with me. I only want to show you something."

Griffin smiled seeing the blackness once more begin to leak ominously into Yami's eyes, eroding the beautiful crimson for the frightening blackness.

Unknown to Yami, Griffin increasing his magical influence, pouring more and more of his evil magics into Yami's very soul.

And slowly, it began to take Yami over completely…

"Come with me," Griffin said again. "Yami."

The way he was saying his name was really getting to Yami now. So much so, all his resolve suddenly vanished from him entirely.

"Okay." Yami said softly.

And once again, he was running hand in hand down the hallway with Griffin.

It was weird. Yami didn't want to be doing this - but he couldn't stop himself.

He wanted to go to Yugi, to find him and tell him over and over how much he loved him. He didn't want to be here with Griffin.

But even his own body didn't seem to want to listen to his heart anymore. And god knew what was going on with his mind - it didn't seem to even be working at that moment.

Finally, Griffin stopped abruptly, catching Yami before he surged forwards.

"Griffin…" Yami murmured weakly, pressing a hand to his aching head.

He felt Griffin flit around him, slipping his hands to Yami's waist, gently, but easily manoeuvring Yami forwards and out of the corridor altogether.

Vaguely pulling himself together, Yami looked up, shielding his gaze from the sun's glare with a hand. Contrasting to the quiet of the deserted school, the east side of the grounds, which Yami suddenly found himself on, was alive with deafening noise.

Not particularly pleasant noise either. Apart from the chanting crowd and the screams echoing from random directions, the sound of fists smashing into something soft and alive was disturbing to say the least.

Before the boys, the crowd just seemed to know they were there and seemed to just part before them like a river - showing them exactly what all the noise was emanating from.

Yami stared, feeling weaker then ever as he felt Griffin's grip on his waist tighten.

It was a fight between the seniors. An extremely bloody, dirty, fight. The one with no rules at all.

"Well Yami?" Griffin said, his voice nothing but a whisper, suddenly sounding extremely close to his ear. "Do you like what you see?"

Yami watched, almost paralysed where he stood, staring at the scene. It was practically a bloody riot. Far, far worse then any other fights that had broken out on the school grounds - usually the same fights that Yami ended up breaking up when the teachers couldn't handle it.

No…this was one brutal fight alright.

And it was doing strange things to Yami.

He stared some more.

And was gradually feeling…a lot hotter. Much, much hotter in fact. Yami's breath hitched, deepening oddly as he bit his lip in sudden bliss.

He didn't understand.

He actually _liked _what he was seeing. He shouldn't - but he did. He really liked it…

One teenager crushed his fist into the other's jaw. The crack of bone sent a thrill through Yami he thought only sex could provide. He watched the blood pouring out of the open wound, unconsciously licking his lips, all the while feeling more and more hot as the seconds ticked by…

Behind him Griffin smirked, on the verge of laughing evilly at how well his evil spell was working. He could sense his power saturating Yami's very spirit and currently blackening Yami's former crimson eyes more and more with every passing second.

Yami raised a hand to his suddenly tingling neck staring at the blood pooling around the fallen teenager. He passed his fingertips lightly over his throat. It was strange. He was suddenly feeling very, very thirsty…

"Do you like what you see?" Griffin whispered again.

There was only answer Yami felt even capable of giving – and it wasn't the one his last fibre of sanity was screaming at him to say.

"Yes." Yami whispered, half mesmerised.


	17. Close Call

Chapter 17 – Close Call

Only a single swirl of crimson remained in his eyes now…but it wasn't consumed by the blackness. No, Griffin didn't want that. Instead, the spell altered slightly.

And now the remaining scarlet glints in Yami's eyes were slowly turning into a, expressionless stare of an imprisoning trance…

The spell was almost complete…

Giving into another smirk, Griffin snaked his arms around Yami's waist from behind, but still the former pharaoh didn't even seem to notice. Mercilessly, he tightened his arms around Yami, pressing him back against his chest.

"Do you want to see more?" Griffin asked softly.

Yami stood still, almost unreactive. "More?"

"Yes, Yami…" Griffin replied seductively. "I can show you so much more…more fights…more carnage…more _death_…"

Yami drew in a shaky breath, feeling more and more overwhelmed with every passing moment. It was like he couldn't even control himself anymore. And just with that one mention of death…he was suddenly incredibly turned on.

Now that was weird.

Especially since he loved the reaction. Almost as much as he loved carnage…

And even at that thought, absolutely nothing in his form wanted to object and protest that he was supposed to be a force of protection not destruction.

Destruction…

He liked destruction…

"I can show you more Yami." Griffin whispered. "But I need one little favour first…"

The crimson of Yami's eyes were almost completely blank, almost devoid of any self-control…

And suddenly, Yami felt like agreeing to absolutely anything the other asked of him.

"Well, well, what _a _turnaround!" Said a familiar grating voice.

Instantly the spell shattered back to it's dormant state - and Yami practically jumped out of his skin in shock as well as the rude snap back to reality.

Bakura laughed derisively, glancing down at them from where he sat on the bin-shelter roof, with a full view of the fight still going on before them.

"Pharaoh!" Bakura said, madly enthusiastically. "What a surprise! I didn't expect to see you here _enjoying _the show." His dark green eyes flitted to Griffin's murderous ones. "And with the new guy too - how _odd_."

For a long moment, Yami stared at him, unsure what on earth was happening. Now the blackness and trance-like state was banished from his eyes, mind and body, Yami was suddenly very aware of his surroundings - and the close and intimate proximity Griffin was to him. Freaked out, Yami broke free of Griffin's grasp in a flash and glanced around himself - and at the sickening fight happening in front of him.

"What -?" He started confusedly. "What happened?"

Bakura watched, losing his crazed cheerfulness in a flash, as Yami looked up at him in confusion and surprise - and then back to Griffin.

"Griffin?" Yami said staring at him. "W-why did you bring me here?"

Griffin looked innocently at him, again, the murderous look gone within a split-second.

He frowned concerned. "Yami? Are you alright? You don't look so good."

Yami massaged his temples, his head still aching from the incessant pounding of before that had suddenly vanished in an instant. "I-I'm not sure…"

Bakura's gaze narrowed, settling on Griffin then the former pharaoh.

He could sense something - he just didn't know what.

And there was something odd about this new guy.

His gaze narrowed further, jumping flawlessly down from the roof to the other boys and meeting Griffin's eyes levelly. "So you're Griffin huh?"

Griffin stared back evenly. "That's right."

"Hmmm, another fellow Egyptian," Bakura said shrewdly.

Griffin's gaze hardened in the other. "What of it?"

"Oh nothing…it's like we're taking over the world isn't it?"

Something nipped playfully at the back of the former thief's mind. Something familiar that he couldn't quite grasp just then.

Bakura tilted his head to one side, studying the other closely. "Have we ever met?"

The other looked at him indifferently. "No."

Bakura noted the flash of fury through Griffin's emerald green eyes as he turned away. The strange sense he was getting filed itself neatly away at the back of his mind - and the regular Bakura returned.

"Going so soon?" Bakura asked, pouting cutely.

Griffin smiled nicely. "I have places to be. Later Yami."

Yami gazed after him. "Bye."

"So," Bakura said smiling brightly. "What _are _you doing here pharaoh? I thought you'd be off with your Hikari somewhere kissing his face off -" He smirked. "- among other things…"

Yami glared at him. "So should you." He shot back.

Bakura made a face at him.

"Ryou's busy." He said idly.

He casually glanced back at the now vacant spot where the fight had been, all having dispersed by the sounds of sirens in the distance within a few seconds.

"I came for the show. I do so love watching people destroy each other, and themselves." He grinned mysteriously, glancing suggestively at Yami. "What about you? Somehow I doubt you were here for that too. Or perhaps you like this secluded area? Did you come for a little honey from the gorgeous new bee? Ooooh Yugi's going to be sooo hurt…"

Yami glared at him even more, his anger sparked at the mere implication. "We weren't -"

Bakura chuckled, cutting him off. "Uh huh." He grinned. "I saw the way he was cuddling you, pharaoh. It didn't look _that _innocent - especially from _behind _like that -"

"We didn't do anything!" Yami half-shouted, his crimson eyes blazing, already livid at the other's audacity.

"Then what are you doing with him?"

Yami blinked, taken aback. Bakura had actually sounded serious when he had said that.

"I - um…" He started.

Yami went to respond - but he couldn't. What had be been doing? Yami's own mind was completely messed up about what had occurred during the past twenty minutes. It was like something had happened to him, but he wasn't registering _what_. Random memories flew wildly around his mind, but for the life of him, he couldn't comprehend what had happened during those past minutes.

He closed his eyes, thinking back.

He knew he'd been waiting for Yugi, then Griffin had grabbed him and he had wanted to show Yami something and promptly dragged him off…then what?

Random images of violence filled Yami's mind.

"The fight…" Yami whispered, staring at the pool of blood still on the ground from where that fallen senior had lain before his friends dragged him away.

Instantly every emotion he had felt the entire time he had been standing there with Griffin flooded back to him in a huge tide.

He gasped sharply. He could remember everything. The entire fight scene replayed slowly through his mind, and in minute detail as captured by his intent gaze at the time.

The blood…the violence…the carnage…the pain…

But why had he been watching it so intently without having the urge to break them all up, or just turn away at the more vile side of human behaviour toward one another?

No, he hadn't been repulsed by it. He'd been enthralled.

He had _liked _it. _Actually _liked it. That's why he had been staring at it rather then being revolted. Why his mind had recorded every moment in such detail. The violence been doing something to him - something he _liked_.

That was so not Yami's nature. He never liked violence - he only committed it when it was absolutely necessary.

So what the hell happened to him!

He didn't like all of those things! He never had done! Violence without a noble reason was stupid and pointless and served no purpose other then to cause more violence. And that was exactly what those teenagers had been doing. They had just been fighting for the hell of breaking each other's fragile bodies, nothing more.

But for those few minutes…he had changed so drastically…especially as he had watched the scarlet blood pour from the teenager's lips…

Bakura frowned, watching Yami as he seemingly unconsciously raised a hand to his throat, grazing his fingers across his neck as he stared absently at the small pool of blood on the ground.

"What're you doing?" Bakura demanded abruptly.

Suddenly yanked out of his thoughts, Yami looked up, looking extremely haunted. "What?"  
"What the hell's up with you?" Bakura asked suspiously.

Yami shifted uncomfortably. "Nothing."

He vaguely heard Bakura's natural tendency to start insulting him at random moments spark off again as he began to zone out once more.

He didn't get it. Something was wrong with him - knew it. He would never have reacted the way he did to the fight if he had been subjected to it two days ago - so what changed?

Yami's mind cast back to the evening he had stolen away with Griffin. He remembered how much he had enjoyed watching the drunken bloody fights break out, smiling softly at the sight of blood pouring out of broken skin as well as the joy of overseeing gang-warfare carnage, destruction and the captivating sounds of terrified screams…

NO! Yami mentally screamed at himself. This was wrong! SO, SO WRONG! This isn't me thinking these things! It can't be…

_But I am - so I must be._

"HEY!" Bakura said suddenly.

Snapping back to reality again, Yami looked up at him startled. "W-what?"

Bakura glared at him. "I'm mocking you here, pharaoh. The least you could do is have the decency to listen and get mad."

"Sorry."

Bakura blinked; this time he was surprised. "What the hell's wrong with you?" He demanded.

As Yami went to respond, the bell signalling the end of break slashed through the air. He looked up sharply, completely devastated break was already over - and that he still hadn't had a chance to talk to Yugi because Griffin took him -

Yami stared. "Here." He whispered.

Something clicked - but he understand what.

"I've got class," Yami said, already heading for the door.

Under any other circumstance Bakura would've followed him, taunting him until he flipped out and then, he would've gotten his ass kicked by a furious former pharaoh, only then would Bakura get up and mock Yami some more.

But he didn't this time. In silence, Bakura watched him go; the strangest glint of suspicion still reigning in his dark green eyes.

Meanwhile, Yami was getting nowhere trying to figure out what was going on with him - but he did know he had at least a minute to catch his lover before lessons started up again. And yet again having realising he had promised to see Yugi at break and ended up spending that time with Griffin, he was currently being subjected by the malicious torment of a heart scorned.

And was feeling guilt like none other.

Not to mention he had promised to Joey he would stay away from Griffin only to end up back in his arms in some inexplicable reason.

Now he felt even guiltier then before.

Dashing down the hallway, Yami dodged past various students, half of them giggling and blushing as he accidentally crashed into them, having to quickly catch them and twirl them back into balance as he rushed past.

He could only think of one thing right then. He had to get to Yugi before he vanished into his class. Yami was so desperate to see him, so desperate to touch him and hold him - so much so, he felt like he was going to go crazy without one soft kiss to tear Griffin from his mind.

Finally Yami stopped short, trying to rake back his breath - but it was too late. He watched helplessly as Yugi headed into his classroom, talking with Mokuba, the two of them clear across a sea of students scattering the hallway.

He sighed closing his eyes and leaning back against the nearest wall. "Dammit." He whispered. "Is the whole world against me today?"

"Maybe." Answered a playful voice.

Yami's eyes snapped open in pure shock. He squeaked surprisingly like Yugi, as he stared up into Griffin's eyes, startled. Yami swallowed thickly, suddenly finding the teenager standing so close to him, one hand braced against the wall beside Yami, half trapping him there by the wall.

Griffin smiled. "The world maybe against you, but I think you should be more worried about the universe."

Yami gazed at him incredulously.

"How do you keep doing that?" Yami asked, genuinely interested. "Every time I we meet, you show up out of nowhere."

Griffin shrugged dismissively. "It's a gift. Are you coming?"

Yami stared at him. "Where?"

Griffin chuckled. "Class of course. We've got biology."

Yami stared in disbelief. "You're in my biology class too?"

"Strange coincidence, isn't it?"

Yeah, one that means I can't possibly keep out of your gorgeous way, Yami thought miserably. Joey's going to kill me. And I'm going to miss Yugi like hell.

His heart sank.

He was going to spend the next double period with Griffin and there wasn't a chance in hell he could get out of it and avoid him without having an all-out guilt attack and randomly dropping dead from it.

So there was also no way he was going to get to see Yugi either until lunch.

How on earth was he going to cope with Griffin so close to him for two straight hours? And biology was mainly group-work, so that just made matters even worse.

Now Yami was missing Yugi already.

Yami's heart began to pound as a soft touch grazed his cheek, gently titling his face up.

"Yami?" Griffin said softly. "Are you alright?"

Biting his lip, Yami involuntarily fell into those green eyes, unable to quell the extremely nice tingling sensation over his skin where the other touched him.

"I'm fine." Yami said, trying and failing to sound natural and keep the desire out of his voice. He darted out of Griffin's embrace, once more forcing himself to keep control. "Let's get to class."


	18. Fidelity

Note – Thank you so so much for all the reviews! You all make me smile so much! I feel so happy all the time when you review for me. I feel special.

Note 2 – yeah, I know I should be a professional writer…but then again if I was, you'd all have to PAY for my stories isn't it? Hehe. Nah, I like writing for myself, it's more fun and personal (plus, I don't _actually_ know how to get into publishing, and i would SO love to be a real writer). Makes my fics more special to me too. Along with my readers too!

Note 3 - Free cakes always welome - but keep the threats to a minimun k? Incidentally - am i the only writer that updates everyday? How does everyone else update every month? Once i get a story in my head, i have to write in down before i lose it altogather.

You know, I only just realized I'm the favorite author of so many readers – wow! That's makes me so bouncy it's unbelievable!

Anyway, lets get this show on the road shall we?

Chapter 18 – Fidelity

"Yugi?" Mokuba said suddenly. "Yugi what is it?"

Yugi frowned, heading back out the doorway to the classroom again and into the hallway. "I'm just getting the weirdest feeling…"

His magical senses were suddenly peaking. He could sense a change, but he didn't know what or where it was coming from other then it was drawing him outside again.

"Yugi?" Mokuba said following him.

Yugi went to answer - but his words had just died in his throat.

And his heart was suddenly still with shock and anguish.

He stared across the rapidly emptying hallway. The sense was suddenly gone, but he really didn't care about that anymore; actually he couldn't even recall what it was anyway.

Mostly because he was staring at _his boyfriend _once more in the clutches of the mysterious Griffin.

And they were getting very up close and personal from the looks of it. _Very _close - especially with Yami trapped against the wall like that…

Yugi's heart thudded painfully. Griffin was also looking all-too lecherously at Yami…_again_…

"What the -" Mokuba started, following his friend's gaze to Yami and Griffin.

Yugi stared some more, his anxiety growing with every passing nanosecond that he did so. "That's how they looked this morning…"

Yugi's heart jolted agonisingly again as he saw Griffin touch Yami's cheek, lifting his face up as if he was going to -

Yugi turned away, dashing back into the classroom, on the verge of having a panic-attack. Breathing rapidly, he leaned against the nearest wall for support, feeling like he was about to collapse under the onslaught of sudden, unforgiving emotions flooding through him.

Still outside, Mokuba continued to watch the scene, until he came back inside a moment later.

Yugi gazed at him, anxiously. "Please tell he wasn't…"

Mokuba glanced at him. "Wasn't what?"

Yugi stared for a moment. "Are they still there?"

Mokuba shook his head. "No, they just went off to their class."

Yugi bit his lip, almost dreading to ask and hating himself at the same time for even thinking it…

"What were they…doing?"

"Nothing, they just talked for a while then went off," Mokuba said idly. He frowned, looking closer at his friend. "What's wrong? You don't look so well."

Yugi's heart was suddenly racing. And the unforgiving anxiety from that morning returned with a vengeance. The memory of the way the two seventeen year olds had looked that morning flashed through his mind.

"This morning…" Yugi whispered with rising dread.

Mokuba looked at him sharply, suddenly realising what Yugi was no doubt thinking.

His jaw dropped. "You don't think -,"

Yugi glanced at Mokuba, unsure what to think anymore.

"Do friends get that close that fast, Mokuba?" Yugi asked softly but worriedly.

Mokuba shook his head vigorously in denial of the thought. "No. No way. Yami would never do that. Not to you, not ever, he isn't that kind of person Yugi. He'd never cheat on you."

Yugi stared at him in disbelief, a whole new type of anxiety flooding him. "I wasn't thinking that!"

Mokuba halted. "What? Really?" He bit his lip, blushing embarrassedly. "Oh…so what were you thinking?"

"That Griffin liked Yami!"

"Oh,"

Yugi looked at his friend, his amethyst eyes wide with despair. "You think Yami's cheating on me?"

Mokuba shook his head vigorously. "No! Yugi, that's not what I meant, I swear." He took a deep breath. "But I think you're right about Griffin, he obviously likes Yami, a lot more then all Yami's other admirers. Much more risky about it too - I mean everyone knows Yami's taken, but he's still all over him. "

Yugi didn't object to his friend tugging him into the classroom and back to their seats.

"Look," Mokuba said firmly. "Griffin can like Yami as much as he wants, because _everyone _knows Yami's hopelessly in love with you. And there is no way he'd ever stray and you know it."

Yugi bit his lip, collapsing onto his chair. "You think so?"

Mokuba cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. "Although he did _almost _cheat on my brother to get with you…" He stopped quickly, seeing the worried look on Yugi's face. "But he didn't love Seto - he loved you. Yami did the right thing, and now everything's great again. Yugi, things are a lot better now. Now big brother has the hots for Joey - who is so much fun and drives Seto up the wall with his insane arguments - and Yami's totally in love with you. _Only _you."

Yugi bit his lip harder, thinking about this. "Are you sure?"

"Very sure," Mokuba stated. "Trust me, I'm a Kaiba, I know everything."

Yugi smiled, feeling a little better. "You really need to stop listening to Seto so much."

Mokuba smiled back. "Anyway, the fact is, Yami's nuts about you. He isn't going to go off with some guy just because he looks incredible and they're both from the same country. You'll see; I bet at lunch Yami's going to be all over you because he missed you so much at break."

Yugi sighed forlornly, propping his head on his folded arms. "I wonder where he went for break anyway, Joey told me he had something important to tell me, but Yami never showed."

Mokuba shrugged dismissively. "You know Yami's temper - he probably scored himself a break detention for something or other."

"Like what?"

"I don't know - maybe he got so bored he animated the chalks and wrote rude words in Egyptian on the blackboard like last time. The teacher was impressed with the hieroglyphs, but she was also mad that he wiped off a complicated math equation it had taken her half an hour to write up in the first place."

A genuine smile crossed Yugi's lips. "Thanks Mokuba."

"Anytime." The younger Kaiba grinned.

But despite his friend's comforting words, Yugi couldn't actually shake the unnerving feeling he was getting.

He had witnessed Griffin and Yami together twice now. And both times, from where he stood, their 'conversations' had looked so far from innocent any other person in this situation would've beaten Griffin into the ground for trying it on with their boyfriend.

But not Yugi. He was kind and gentle and a total doll when it really came down to the crunch. So much so, he was desperately trying to be _sensible _about this and, against all his heart's pleas, try and believe that there was no way in hell Yami could ever do something that he knew would just devastate Yugi to the point where the little Hikari would _willingly _hold a gun to his head and pull the trigger.

Yugi knew Yami loved him. He also knew Yami was his soul mate. And he knew Yami would never, ever cheat on him…

_I also know he did **technically **cheat by kissing me in the park while he was still dating Seto…_

Yet again, that malicious conscience of his flared up, offering Yugi the most horrifying of potential scenarios he could possibly come up with. Including the several ways Yami could be off doing Griffin while Yugi was completely unaware…

Yugi growled lowly to himself, forcefully rubbing his forehead, trying to actually rub the thoughts from his mind.

He shook his head. No, he knew Yami and he loved Yami and Yami loved him too. Yugi trusted Yami with so much more then his life…he trusted him with his heart. And Yugi knew Yami didn't take that burden lightly.

Yugi took a deep breath.

Griffin maybe gorgeous and mysterious and probably the same as Yami because of where they come from, but as far as Yugi could see, that was it. No matter how close they could have gotten in two days, it couldn't possibly compare with everything Yugi and Yami had been through together in the past three years, including all the grief they had gone through to actually get together.

Suddenly Yugi felt a little better.

It didn't matter how much Griffin liked Yami. Or how close they stood when they talked, or how much Griffin liked to come onto Yami - because Yami belonged with Yugi. They always belonged together.

Light and Dark, it's the way it was meant to be.

He wouldn't cheat on me, Yugi thought with conviction. Yami loves me, I know he does. He couldn't cheat on me, he wouldn't. I know it.

God damn that bloody conscience.

_Would he?_


	19. Splinter

Chapter 19 - Splinter

Yami sighed for the fifth time in two minutes. He could feel the sunlight falling over him so warmly, so invitingly, but still - it was only being felt on the inside of a pane of glass.

He sighed forlornly again, leaning over his desk and rested his head on his folded arms.

For the hundredth time, he silently berated himself for what had happened during biology.

It had started out so well too.

Good old biology, the one lesson that didn't need as much brainpower as chemistry or physics. Mostly because it so boring even the text-book writers had skimped on the detail offering a very easy text that anyone could do just by reading it through an hour before the exam, and know enough to pass. The writers had obviously been bored enough that they decided to liven things up a bit with big obvious charts that were so easy to remember, students had to wonder why people ever bothered with the written word. In fact, it would have been _embarrassing _if anyone failed the biology exam - it was seriously that easy.

So, with all that aside, Yami had been faced with a little problem.

Since biology was so pointless in this school, he usually had the world of fun during the lesson with Krysta, Tea and Ryou, and oddly enough Bakura when he decided to show up.

But with Griffin in the class now too…things had taken a turn for the worst. And that included luck.

Firstly, Krysta had to leave to go play cheerleader to the soccer team, and taken Tea with her for some unexplained reason - that Yami suspected involved teenage boys in tight shorts - and then Ryou and Bakura decided to retreat to the furthest corner of the classroom to have their own fun together, since the teacher had once again left the room for some mysterious reason that rumours said involved the janitor's closet and the new math teacher.

So Yami had been left entirely alone with Griffin for two hours straight.

And it had been disastrous.

So much so, Yami had actually resorted to doing the work just to keep himself occupied - but that had also been a bad idea. Especially since it was _pair-work_, involving various chemicals and a _very _jumpy Yami.

Every touch every graze with Griffin had been driving him crazy with desire, every glance at those incredible looks forcing yet more lust filled scenarios asserting themselves mercilessly in Yami's mind. So Yami had been trying to avoid it as much as he could and concentrate on the tasks set by the teacher. But it had been a lot harder then he imagined. The emotions invoked by tiniest of contact was making him crumble further and further into his own lust.

But it was weird. He didn't _want _to be with Griffin, but again, no part of him seemed to be listening to him and was craving Griffin anyway.

So then, as the explosive mix of jumpy-Yami, chemicals and equipment collided - the inevitable happened. He had been so startled by Griffin suddenly coming up close to him from behind, he had split a beaker full of scathing hot acidic water and tea tree leaves all over the floor, just barely managing not to burn himself and anyone around him.

And to make his run of bad luck complete; it had happened the exact same time that the teacher had chosen to be in the room - which had been a whole five minutes spanned across a two hour lesson.

So, now he was in lunchtime detention with another annoying teacher having thankfully been able to finally pry himself away from Griffin enough to claw back his thoughts into a working mind - well sort of. His head was still pounding with the same headache he had been getting all day.

Yami sighed again, closing his eyes.

Detention really sucked.

It was stupid and pointless and was one of the main driving forces that made students loathe teachers so much.

And detention was making him especially miserable right then, mostly because it was keeping Yami away from Yugi at that very moment.

Or so he thought.

"What did you do this time?" Asked an amused soft male voice.

Yami's eyes snapped open. Startled, he glanced up from his arms and stared in shock.

Yugi smiled at him. The younger teenager was sitting on his desk beside him, having quietly stolen in while the teacher was away, and with Yami not even noticing.

And now Yugi was looking incredibly delicious, just leisurely sitting on the desk, with his trainers propped up on another chair and palms resting on the desk lid behind his back to support himself.

And Yugi was smiling serenely, making his eyes shimmer softly in the sunlight.

God Yami loved that smile…and those perfect eyes…

"Am I dreaming?" Yami asked detachedly staring at him.

Yugi giggled softly, shaking his head. "Nope, I'm here alright." He smiled. "Ryou and Bakura told me you got detention."

Yami sighed deeply, suddenly feeing so much better then he had done in several hours. He had no idea how long his lover had been sitting there, nor did he know how Yugi could possibly seem so perfect all the time - and he honestly didn't care. He closed his eyes again, resting his head in Yugi's lap.

This was bliss. Yami had never felt so relieved in his life.

"So what did you do?" Yugi asked again.

The former pharaoh breathed deeply, just enjoying his lover's soft, rich aura surrounding him.

"Dropped some boiling water," Yami told him idly, feeling increasingly better as he felt Yugi tenderly rubbing his back, the familiar warm wave of love ebbing through him contently. "Griffin snuck up on me and scared me half to death. According to Miss Jennings, I almost boiled my hands off."

There was a falter in the Yugi's soothing gesture.

Yugi looked at him tentatively. "Are you alright then?"

"Uh huh,"

"Are you sure?"

Yami looked up, hearing the uncertainty in his lover's voice. "What's the matter?"

Yugi bit his lip, suddenly looking a lot less relaxed. "Um, it's just…you haven't been answering me."

Yami stared at him blankly. "Sorry?"

"I've been calling you through the link for ages and you didn't answer." Yugi said uncomfortably. "I just thought something was wrong…"

Without a second thought Yami caught his boyfriend's hands and gazed into his eyes, sensing the other's uncertainty all too vividly.

"I'm sorry tenshi," Yami said sincerely. "I've been having the worse headache all day, I didn't hear you. I haven't even been able to concentrate long enough to open the connection from my side either."

Yugi frowned anxiously, feeling his lover's forehead. "Are you sick?" He asked quickly. "I knew something was wrong when you got up before me -"

"Yugi…" Yami sighed, giving into a soft laugh.

His boyfriend was so amazingly sweet.

Yami smiled, quickly pulling Yugi's hand away from his forehead, and instead drew Yugi down into a deep, sensual kiss.

It was like Yami was suddenly revitalised; just one kiss from Yugi was enough to find new strength to resist Griffin and fall even more deeply in love with his Hikari.

"I'm so glad you're here…" Yami whispered, resting his head in Yugi's lap again. "I feel like I've been missing out on you all day."

"Well that was our first kiss in -" Yugi checked his watch. "About four hours."

Yami smiled. "I think that's a record for us."

Above him, Yugi smiled, but it was small, and laced with hesitation. It had been playing on his mind all morning what Griffin and Yami had been getting up to. He trusted Yami implicitly, but there was something odd about Griffin…

Even Bakura had given him a straight answer when he was wondering where Yami was just a few minutes before. And Bakura hadn't even been giggling about it and mocking Yami behind his back for getting detention yet again - and actually _staying _to serve it.

No, Bakura had been…_civil_. He'd even seemed a little suspious about the entire reason why Yami had gotten detention and had so cut Ryou off in the middle of explaining what had happened and told Yugi to go find Yami instead - and do it fast.

But still, even though Yugi could feel their love surrounding them once more, the doubt still plagued him from his earlier conversation with Mokuba, not to mention the way he had seen Yami and Griffin together…now he was even doubting Yami's story about why had had dropped that boiling water…

Yugi hated himself for thinking it, but he really couldn't stop doubting his lover. He just couldn't stop thinking about how likely it could be that Yami and Griffin were getting it on behind his back.

And as hurtful as that was, Yugi just couldn't help the stab of jealously that invaded his heart at the mere thought of anyone else having Yami, no matter how out of character that sounded. To Yugi, jealousy was something that happened to other people - he never thought he'd ever go through it with Yami as his boyfriend. He knew Yami loved him, loved him more then anything and everything, but after Griffin entered the picture…Yugi just wasn't so sure anymore.

And he couldn't stop the jealously from growing every time he remembered the way that had looked when Yami and Griffin had been together…

_Was there really something going on?_

And all the while, he was unaware just how dangerously that doubt was severing the very bond that protected Yami from the spell neither knew he was under.

"Yami…" Yugi started, unsure how to go on.

Yami sat up, looking at his boyfriend, hearing the hesitation in his voice. "Yugi? What is it?"

"Um," Yugi said falteringly. "Joey said you wanted to tell me something…"

Yami froze. He had been so happy to have Yugi close to him again, he'd completely forgotten about the whole Griffin issue.

He watched as his lover bite his lip anxiously.

He knows something's majorly wrong, Yami thought suddenly. Yugi knows…of course he knows, he can sense it in my aura. The way I've been acting, of course he knows something isn't right…

Yami looked over his beautiful Hikari again, his heart aching intolerably.

He going to take it the wrong way, Yami thought. I know Yugi…he'll take what I say the wrong way and he'll hate me forever. He'll try to believe me, but his hear would never let him. He'll think I've had an affair…

"Yami," Yugi said softly, anxiously. "Please just tell me…"

The Dark bit his lip too, unconsciously mimicking his Hikari. He was so unsure, doubting himself even more then his Light was. Yami didn't even know how to tell Yugi anyway. Was there a nice way of saying 'I love you Yugi, but I can't stop thinking about how fantastic it would be to have sex with Griffin'? Any way he said it in his head, it just sounded so…_devastating_.

And so perverted it should be a crime.

Instantly Yami hated himself.

Yami took a deep breath. He knew he couldn't keep this up much longer, he knew that all too well from what had just gone on during biology class.

And he really did love Yugi more then anything - whatever his lovely Hikari did afterward, Yami was prepared to accept. He could always go kill himself later if Yugi decided to hate him.

The former pharaoh looked into dreading-the-absolute-worst amethyst eyes, finally reaching a decision. "Yugi, I was trying to tell you that I've been -"

"AHEM."

Startled, both boys glanced up in confusion – and found Mr Sullivan staring down at them obnoxiously.

"Excuse _me_," The teacher said conceitedly. "I wasn't _aware _detention was a _social _gathering."

Yami's temper flared as the teacher glared at his little boyfriend, making Yugi instantly slip off the desk, looking incredibly unnerved.

"Um, sorry," Yugi said timidly.

Yami glared back at Mr Sullivan. "We were just talking."

"Well this is not a place for you and your _boyfriend _to get together." Mr Sullivan went on, making sure to stare disapprovingly at Yugi as the disgusted words left his lips. "This is a punishment, not a place for your _illicit _affairs."

Deep red.

Yami's blood boiled as Yugi reflexively took a step back uneasily, knowing just what this particular teacher was like when it came to the rising population of gay-couples in the school.

Angrily, Yami stood up, defiantly facing off with the well-known ass-of-a-teacher. It took all of Yami's effort not to let the Sennen Eye symbol blaze upon his forehead and send this idiot screaming to the Shadow Realm.

The teacher flinched at the gesture, visibly unnerved a student was standing up to him.

Yami's eyes blazed with the wrath fit for a pharaoh

"_Never _talk to him that way," Yami seethed, lethally. "Or you'll have _me _to deal with."

Before him, Mr Sullivan blinked, suddenly subjected to the full-intensity of Yami's glare, perfected over millennia. And very aware of how silently furious Yami was.

Just because he was an ass didn't mean he didn't know the stories of _just _what Yami was capable of, especially when it came to the safety of Yugi and his friends.

It was only by luck, he wasn't as stupid as he cared to portray.

"W-well, u-um," Mr Sullivan hesitated, unsure what to do, and obviously feeling well out of his depth when faced with a seriously furious Yami.

"You will never speak to him like that." Yami said again, even more deadly them before. "_Is that clear_?"

The teacher's gaze flickered momentarily around the room and then to Yugi, obviously looking for help.

"Well?" Yami demanded sharply.

Mr Sullivan stumbled backwards under the sudden address, already nodding vigorously as he back away to the front of the classroom again. "Y-yes, o-of course." He cleared his throat trying to rake back the remains of his etiquette and posture as a teacher. "Just-just make it quick."

Yugi looked up at Yami gratefully as the teacher practically ran back to the front desk and began busying himself with the first thing he found.

"Thanks Yami."

"Half this damn school is gay," Yami seethed quietly, turning back to his Light. "Where the hell does he get off talking to people like that?"

Suddenly Yami's anger evaporated.

Mostly because Yugi had sudden pulled him into another deep kiss. Startled, he didn't even have a chance to react before his mind was lulled into nothingness, and his heart took over, beating madly in his chest. Unable to resist, Yugi held Yami captive in a long drawn-out kiss that lasted quite a few lifetimes according to Yami's stunted mental clock.

"Yami?" Yugi called softly a few moments later.

Yami opened his eyes, suddenly remembering where he was, and was now waiting for his head to catch up. "Um…"

Yugi smiled, secretly giggling at his ability to render his boyfriend senseless just like the millions of times Yami had done it to him.

He sighed, looking up at Yami. "I should go."

Yami bit his lip, finally remembering what he had been trying to do before being rudely interrupted. "But I need to tell you -"

There was a clatter of something being dropped at the top of the classroom.

Yugi kissed Yami again briefly. "You can tell me later. I'll meet you after school, okay?"

Yami went to protest, but gave up before he started. "Okay," He said finally.

Yugi nodded. "See you later,"

"Bye."

Yami watched Yugi go.

Something was wrong.

Mostly because Yugi didn't say 'love you' in that playful voice that _always _made Yami smile when they had to separate for class. It was just a couple thing, and their friends were always sniggering about it when they did it - but it was their thing. The little gesture between that that told each other how much they were in love, but still made it simple and light enough to make it sound like it actually meant nothing at all.

Actually, Yami thought it might have been better if Yugi had said it, but had left out the meaning behind it.

They hadn't had their long, drawn-out kiss goodbye either. To be honest, all their kisses had suddenly felt more hollow then Yami cared to admit.

There was something different about their connection; something lost that made the bond suddenly incomplete.

The trust was wavering, as was their devotion.

_He knows something's wrong. And that something is me._

Slumping back in his seat and leaning over the desk, Yami buried his face in his arms, letting the quietness press in on him again.

Yami knew Yugi was figuring it out. He was doubting Yami. Doubting everything they had, and going to have together. Yugi was doubting their closeness - Yami could sense it through Yugi's aura no matter how hard he tried to disguise it. And Yami could sense it growing even more so as Yugi had left.

Maybe the entire universe was against him. Everything seemed to be keeping him away from Yugi and not offering him any breaks so he could find his lover and tell him everything.

Maybe the entire universe was against him.

Everything they had been through together…it really didn't mean anything when it came down to one moment of weakness did it? Entire worlds shattered in a millisecond after hundreds of years of building and perfecting to become so great and admired.

When it came to it, it was just one moment, one nudge at the foundations…and that was it. The world fell, and took everything else with it.

And that one nudge was Griffin. Only it wasn't a nudge, it was a brutal shove - he was cruelly and maliciously taking a sledge hammer to Yami and Yugi's relationship; breaking down the bond by tempting Yami and then showing Yugi. Which, in turn, led to hurtfilled jealously igniting fiercely within the little Hikari.

Jealously did that to people. It poisoned their minds into thinking things that could be so far from true, yet seemed oh-so-plausible at the time the thought innocently entered the mind. Then the end result was always one split back into two, but still oddly missing a huge chuck of their spirits each.

It was a shame Yami didn't know any of that. He also didn't know Griffin had orchestrated all of it. Everything that was happening to Yami was caused by Griffin's own hand. Griffin was the source of all anguish, but Yami was too caught up in the devastating thought that Yugi was losing faith in him to actually realise that.

Closing his eyes, Yami tried in vain to open the mind link to Yugi; desperate to talk to him, but it was no use. His head still throbbed unforgivingly, making him lose his concentration over and over each time he tried.

Yami's despair deepened.

They were breaking apart - they just refused to admit it.

Yami was losing Yugi. He could feel it. And it was all his fault. He didn't want to have anything more to do with Griffin then friendship - but it was like his mind and body just didn't want to listen to his heart anymore. Yami _didn't want _to do _things _with Griffin - but he couldn't stop. Every time Griffin was around, something came over him, something he couldn't control…and it was driving him deeper into depression the more he thought about it, knowing Yugi must be thinking the exact opposite.

Sighing yet again as detention continued around him, Yami buried his face further into his folded arms, hiding his face away.

He didn't want anyone to see his tears.


	20. Wishes

Note – Sorry this is a bit short.

* * *

Chapter 20 - Wishes

For a long moment Griffin watched the Hikari.

A smile played on his lips.

He looked so uncertain, staring into space, deep in thoughts…

Griffin sensed the bond between him and the Prince weaken further.

His smile widened.

This was too good…the Hikari was doubting his Dark. Doubting the Prince's devotion, his love, his faithfulness…oh it was _wonderful_…the Hikari was severing the bond for him, and he didn't even realise it.

Griffin grinned, his emerald green eyes narrowing further on the Light.

Such a sweet little Light…pure and untainted, so sure in his love - it was almost sickening.

Jealousy. It was a wonderful concept. It can poison even the most innocent of minds.

But then again…

It hadn't been easy to sway his mind, Griffin had to admit. The Hikari had proven to be resilient to say the least. Even now as he watched him, Griffin could sense his thoughts - and they still believed in Yami more then they opposed it.

No matter…the bond was severing - that was all Griffin needed to know.

The doubts were well and truly raised. The little Light was even doubting the Prince really had a headache that stunted their ability to communicate telepathically. Griffin laughed softly. The Hikari didn't even know if he should believe his Dark or not. He had no idea the headache was very real - and being caused by Griffin himself.

His mood darkened. As much as his new plan was working, it still wasn't working fast enough. No, Griffin needed something more…something else to push the Hikari over the edge, something to break their connection completely.

That little Hikari…

God, he grated on Griffin's nerves.

How Griffin would _love _to kill him…

Just take an axe to that beautiful face…hack that lovely body to unrecognisable mutilated remains…

Griffin growled lowly.

That Hikari was oblivious to what he did to his own Dark - he wanted to kill him just for that. The Light had such beauty he didn't even realise it. Beauty that surpassed Griffin's and so kept the Prince's attention so much more.

Oh, how Griffin wanted to take a vial of acid to that perfect face…and destroy those exquisite eyes…just take the acid and burn that pretty face off.

When the Prince was his, Griffin will take such pleasure in that one Hikari's death.

And tear limb from limb that embodiment of beauty that so captured his Dark's heart…

Griffin's mood lightened as several gruesome scenarios for the Light's death filled his mind.

Now, he thought. What I need…is to sever the rest of that bond…

His eyes glinted evilly in the darkness.

He knew just what to do.

* * *

Note – In case you haven't picked up on it, Griffin's hugely jealous of Yugi.

Note 2 - Some of you reviewers are weird...yay!


	21. Captivate

Note – Ooooh getting closer…

* * *

Chapter 21 – Captivate

"W-what?" Yami said in disbelief. "Why?"

"Please Yami," Griffin said quickly. "I swear this is the last time."

The former pharaoh stared up at Griffin. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," The other replied sincerely. "I was just there, and now the teachers think I had something to do with that graffiti."

"So you want to pretend make-out _again_?" Yami said incredulously.

"Well it worked last time didn't it?" Griffin said defensively. "I promise, I won't do anything to you don't want, okay? Please just get me out of this."

Yami bit his lip.

There were angry-sounding shouts somewhere down the left corridor. And they were pretty close.

"No time," Griffin said, hearing them too.

Before Yami could protest, he was pushed up against the nearest wall again, trapped mercilessly in Griffin's arms again. And before he even had the chance to break the hold - he felt the other's muscular body pressing against Yami's form again, just as incredibly as he had done the first time. And then Griffin dropped his head to Yami's neck, laying those same mind blowing kisses to his neck before Yami couldn't even start to resist.

"Griffin…"

The protest died on his lips, giving way to a soft moan of pure, lust-filled pleasure. He could feel Griffin's strong arms holding him gently but firmly against the wall, his hands roaming his body seemingly innocently, but igniting such desire, Yami's heart fought to regain control as his mind totally gave in.

Just like before, Yami shivered under the sensation of Griffin's balmy breath flitting harmlessly over his fiery skin. His whole body suddenly felt a hundred times hotter then he had done before.

Yami didn't even notice that the distant voices never came any closer.

Lust was quickly and easily taking over, rising uncontrollably within him as the unquestionable gorgeous Griffin ravished him.

Just like the night before, every touch, every kiss, every tiny graze of Griffin's lips against his flesh was driving Yami crazy with desire. He couldn't stop himself. He wanted more - more then more.

This drug was just incredible.

It was even lulling his headache somewhat. Well, it was either that or, the headache was getting so bad, his head was just tuning the pain out altogether.

His arms unconsciously tightened around Griffin's waist, pulling him closer, needing more of the delicious bliss the other was offering so freely…

The spell was working again. Working stronger then ever now. Yami was vulnerable due to the breaking bond with Yugi. The Hikari was doubting Yami, so now Yami was susceptible to the spell much more then he had been that morning.

Yugi was losing faith in Yami - so Yami was losing his ability to stay true to his heart.

The lust was like an unquenchable thirst. No matter how much Yami took, he was never refreshed, never sated. He drew in a deep, shaky breath, moaning softly again as he felt Griffin bite his earlobe playfully, laying yet more kisses on his neck, easily tugging his school shirt away for better access.

_School…_

_Wait, school? _

Something clicked in Yami's mind. He opened his gradually blackening eyes, gazing almost detachedly at his surroundings.

_School…that's right…I'm still in school…_

His eyes focused on a clock mounted on the wall a few feet above him.

_Three-fifteen…school ends at three…what am I doing here…? _

"Yami." Griffin said softly, in that same, deep captivating voice that so easily captured Yami's attention.

"Yes?" Yami said, almost completely mesmerised as he stared into nothingness.

"Remember what I showed you before?" Griffin whispered.

Yami shivered as the other's breath flitted across his ear, feeling overly submissive as the scenes from the gruesome fight that morning flashed through his mind.

"Yes." He whispered.

"I can show you more."

"More…"

"Oh yes, much, much more." Griffin cruelly kissed Yami's neck again, stealing back his attention from the memory of the earlier fight. "But I need something first Yami."

Yami visibly flinched at the sound of his name in the other's voice.

"Need…?"  
"Yes," Griffin said softly. "I need a favour…"

Three fifteen…Yami thought vaguely. School's over…what am I doing here…I was doing something…going somewhere…

Yami tried to work it out, but his mind wasn't co-operating. And his head seemed to be throbbing even worse then ever before.

"What I need Yami…" Griffin whispered.

I was going somewhere…Yami thought again.

"_You can tell me later. I'll meet you after school, okay?"_

"_Okay," _

"_See you later,"_

"_Bye."_

Finally the scattered mess of his mind pieced it together.

Yami blinked.

_The voice…I know that voice…_

Yugi. He was going to meet Yugi. And Griffin had come out of nowhere again and jumped him after his home economics class; only just when he was getting over having to spend business class with him. He had been going to meet Yugi at the gates just like every day.

Yugi was _waiting _for him. His _boyfriend _was waiting for him.

Griffin sensed the spell falter, already tightening his grip on Yami to stop him from breaking free completely.

"Griffin," Yami tried, feeling incredibly weak all of a sudden. "Griffin I-I have to go."

The other teenager subdued Yami's feeble attempts to break free easily, pressing Yami harder back against the wall, trapping him there.

"Shhh," Griffin said soothingly.

He gazing into Yami's eyes with his own devious emerald ones. Lightly, he ran his fingers over Yami's cheek, gazing into the crimson, already swirling with the evil blackness.

"Don't worry, Yami." He stated serenely. "Nothing bad will happen."

Yami heart pounded as he looked into Griffin's eyes. The more he did so, the more he wished he was away from him and back with Yugi - and the more the spell was breaking down around him without him even realising.

As the vivid cerise gradually returned to his eyes, so did Yami's resolve. The more Yugi filled his mind, the more the spell wore down and the closer to freedom Yami became.

Only there was a flaw to that logic.

Griffin was strong. Physically stronger then Yami was at that moment. And he still had Yami trapped against the wall. Well aware the spell was failing again, Griffin went back to the initial method of ravishing Yami while he was too weak to break free. The weakness caused was from the magical backlash of the spell, it was reducing Yami's strength, so he couldn't run away, and he couldn't use his own magics on Griffin either. So now Yami really was in trouble. He was completely at the mercy of the other.

But that's not what Griffin wanted.

After all, the Prince had to be _willing_…that was the crux.

Yami still felt so turned on. He could still feel Griffin's body pressed against his own so fantastically, it was getting harder to claw his thoughts back into a working mind.

His head and body were screaming at him to respond to Griffin's come-ons, but his heart wouldn't let him. And it was struggling to keep control.

Yami didn't want to do this. He didn't want to do any of it.

But he couldn't stop.

He didn't know it, but the half-finished spell still held him captive as much as Griffin's arms did.

"I only need one favour," Griffin whispered, secretly pouring ever more of his evil magics into Yami's spirit, trying to break down his resolve to once more clear the path for the spell to weave.

"Griffin…" Yami tried again.

It was no use, he couldn't control himself. He wanted to break the hold and run off, but it was like his own body was refusing to do what he wanted and instead was just failing him completely as Griffin caught his wrists and held him captive.

"Just one, Yami," Griffin whispered. "Just one little…"

Yami's eyes widened as he saw the glint in those green eyes - watching with rising anxiety as Griffin leaned closer and closer…until their lips were only millimetres apart.

Yami closed his eyes, turning his face away with what felt like every ounce of his remaining effort.

"Please Griffin," Yami whispered weakly. "I…I don't - I don't want to do this…"

Yami shivered as Griffin once more dropped his lips to his neck, rebuilding the initial feelings of lust and desire within Yami once more.

Unable to control himself, Yami's head fell back against the wall, another blissful moan escaping his lips.

A few feet away, several books clattered against the floor.


	22. Discovery

Note - Sorry for anyone hurting just knowing how badly wrong things are going for Yami and Yugi - I'm hating writing this angst too.

* * *

Chapter 22 – Discovery

Mokuba looked at Yugi sympathetically. His friend was looking more and more exasperated as the minutes past.

"I swear," Yugi said leaning back against the cast iron gates. "If Yami's got detention again, he is so gonna get it."

Mokuba cocked his head to one side. "Get what?"

Yugi thought for a moment. "Well…he's not gonna get something nice, that's for sure."

Mokuba smiled. "Yami's always late for everything anyway," He commented.

He glanced back at the school. As usual the grounds and buildings had emptied in record time as soon as the last bell of the day rang. But, still, there was no sign of Yami, or Seto for that matter.

Mokuba sighed. "Where is my brother? He was supposed to be out fifteen minutes ago. He _promised _he'd spend some time with me today."

"He's probably finishing some work up," Yugi suggested. "You know what he's like. He wouldn't stop a task for anything until it was finished to perfection."

The two of them had been standing at the gates all of fifteen minutes now, and were quickly getting bored out of their minds. Yugi had been looking forward to having some quality time with Yami after this entire weird day, and Mokuba had been bugging Seto at every spare opportunity about his promise to spend time together that evening, so by all rights, Yami and Seto _should _have been at the gates _ages _ago.

The boys sighed simultaneously.

Promises in general didn't work out for their circle of friends, family and lovers - they really didn't know why they bothered anymore.

Even the girls had gotten bored and five minutes of waiting later, Sakura, Krysta and Tea had already wandered off home without them, talking idly about what to wear for homecoming and discussing why boys didn't have _working _mental clocks like the female of the species.

"D'you reckon Yami's off getting high from that new coffee machine?" Mokuba wondered.  
"There's a new coffee machine?"

"Uh huh, they installed it at lunch, they finally realised the other one was broken."

Yugi sighed. "Oh great, the moment Yami finds out about that, I'll never be able to keep him away from the stuff."

Yugi sighed again, and pushed himself off the gates.

"Okay," He said finally. "I'm tired of waiting, let's just go find them and drag them home."

"Okay."

The boys crossed the spacious school grounds once more, and entered the building.

There was something odd about a deserted school. For some reason it always felt so wrong, so creepy when it was completely empty. Schools were built to house hundreds of people and it had always been that way; schools were just built around people and when the people were taken away from the equation…it just gained a profound creepiness that wouldn't go away until the building was filled with young people once more.

"Okay there are about a hundred rooms," Mokuba said. "Where should we check?"

"How about their last classrooms first?" Yugi suggested. "They could just be finishing some work off."

Mokuba nodded. "Alright, Seto was in room twelve for business I think. What about Yami?"  
"Fourteen. I think he just had home ec."

Walking down the hall, the boys decided to go to room twelve first, since it was the closest.

But as they opened the door to the classroom - they kinda wished they hadn't.

Two boys looked up, startled.

"U-um," Joey started breathlessly, pulling his shirt closed as he slid off the tabletop.

"Mokuba," Seto said, more then a little rattled he had been so exposed, and just as breathless as Joey.

Yugi and Mokuba's jaws dropped straight through the floor.

Just before the door had opened, Joey had been lying full-on the teacher's desk with Seto on top of him, blissfully and passionately kissing him whilst their hands busied themselves with the demanding task of stripping off each others clothes of…

Thankfully they were only half-stripped as the door had swung open, both missing shirts and belts and - if the younger boys hadn't just walked in when they did - pants too. But, fortunately they were generally decent and now - very sheepishly - trying to compose themselves.

"Well, um," Joey tried again. "We were just -"  
"We were…" Seto tried as well.

"Let me guess," Mokuba said folding his arms. "Acting?"

"How about the classic - you were giving him CPR?" Yugi suggested.

The two younger boys burst into giggles as Joey and Seto broke out identical blushes.

"I'll let you off for tonight then big brother." Mokuba said closing the door.

"Bye guys!" Yugi called as the door closed, still giggling away.

Together they walked over to room fourteen.

"Can you believe that? Seto and Joey are finally together!" Mokuba said shaking his head.

"This is great!" Yugi agreed. "I didn't know they had something going."

"Oh big brother's liked Joey for ages, but he didn't want to say anything in case, you know - but that didn't happen so YAY!" He smirked, thinking about what they had just seen. "I can't believe it. Getting it on, right here! In school!"

Yugi tried to hide his blush, but it didn't work.

"I'm missing out on so much aren't it?" Mokuba sighed. "I should get a girlfriend,"

Yugi smiled softly. "Only if you love them Mokuba, otherwise in the long term…there really is no point in wasting your time. It'll mean nothing in the end if you don't love them."

Mokuba glanced at him as he opened the door to the classroom. "Are you and Yami okay then?"

Yugi shrugged defeatedly. "I'm not really sure. I've been dying to talk to him all day - but it's like something's keeping us apart."

"Well, as soon as we find him you can drag him home and talk as much as you like." Mokuba smirked. "Among other things…"

Yugi blushed again. "You _know _what I mean."

Mokuba sniggered some more. "Yeah, but innuendos are more fun."

Playfully ignoring his friend, he pushed open the classroom door and checked inside. His heart sank.

"The classroom's empty." He stated. "Yami must've left already."

"Or not."

Yugi glanced at him as he closed the door again. "What do you mean?"

"Well knowing Yami, he's either found out about the coffee machine and is drinking it dry, and getting hyped up as we speak - or he's gone and got detention again."

Yugi sighed. "Okay, you check the vending machine and I'll check the detention room."

A series of blissful moans filled the air. The boys glanced back at room twelve and back to each other.

"Okay! Sounds good!" Mokuba said brightly. "Meet you back at the gates?"

"Sure!"

Pointedly ignoring the imaginative sounds, the boys hurriedly split paths, heading in opposite directions to find Yugi's Dark as well as provide some time for Seto and Joey to compose themselves and eventually exit the classroom.

A minute later, Yugi sighed again, feeling more and more discouraged. The detention room was empty too. There was no sign of Yami anywhere, and the school was even more cold and creepy then before.

The silence weighed down on Yugi heavily as he leaned against the nearest wall, wanting more then ever just to be in his Dark's arms. He'd been missing Yami so much today for some reason…

"Where is he?" Yugi said dispiritedly to the universe in general. "He said he wanted to talk after school, so why is he avoiding me?"

For a long moment, he stayed were he was, absently staring into space, wishing Yami would just jump out of nowhere like so many times before, and surprise him with one of those random kisses…

But still there was nothing.

With a heavy heart, Yugi began to walk back towards the entrance, listening to the silence around him as he did so.

_Yami loves me. Yami loves me. Yami loves me._

Those same words kept on flitting seemingly innocently through his mind over and over. They had been ever since the odd encounter with Yami at lunchtime. Yugi knew Yami loved him, but there was just something in the air that was making him not believe that as much as he had done yesterday morning. And now, Yugi had to actually repeat the words in his own mind just to clarify to himself with every word that what he was thinking was true.

Yugi sighed deeply.

This was so unfair. His mind just wouldn't let up on these ridiculous doubts, no matter how plausible they seemed to be. And now it was taking its toll on his heart. It was aching so badly, all Yugi had wanted to do the second he's left the detention room at lunch was turn right around and run back into his Dark's arms. But he didn't really want to face that teacher again no matter how intimidating Yami could be.

As he walked, Yugi hugged his books to his chest, desperately trying to think of something else. Still doing so, he determinedly turned another corner, deciding to go fetch some books out of his locker before going to meet up with Mokuba again.

But it was no use. Even entertaining himself with the thought of homework wasn't lulling his mind into a continuous reel of nothingness like it usually did. The more he tried to think about it, rather then Yami and the innuendos flying around, the more he imagined something was going on that he didn't know about. Even Mokuba's words refused to leave him. Despite his friend trying to reassure him, the mere mention that Yami could be cheating on him with that Egyptian guy was silently tearing Yugi up inside.

It was still no use. His vivid imagination wouldn't grant mercy to him for even half a second.

And all that noise wasn't helping matters.

Yugi stopped abruptly.

Noise?

Yugi looked up. It was true; the silence of the school was suddenly shattered and was now filled with…something else.

It sounded like soft voices and…moans of _pleasure_…

His eyes widened. His firs thought was that Joey and Seto had taken their little show on the road…but they weren't even near this corridor…they were in the east wing, this was the west wing of the school.

Confused and a little haunted Yugi glanced around himself; but there was no tone in sight. The sounds seemed to be coming from the next corridor to the next left that Yugi was on.

Yugi frowned as the soft sounds echoed around him. He wasn't sure, but they seemed to be getting more urgent as the moments passed, almost sounding like…protests…

But he wasn't really paying attention to that. Mostly because he knew one of those voices…he knew it better then he knew his own voice.

Something came over Yugi.

It was like he was outside of his body, just watching like at outsider as he slowly walked closer and closer to the next left corner. He felt so calm and yet he could feel a small pea-sized bundle of dread right into the centre of his heart. It wasn't getting any bigger, it just seemed to be densing somehow, becoming heavier and heavier with dread and a whole host of other disturbing emotions.

He wasn't even registering what the sounds were anymore; all he could think about was that he _knew _one of those voices, and he _knew _those sounds, and, with rising dread, he _knew _something terrible was about to happen.

Yugi turned the corner.

And stared.

His books fell silently from his arms and clattered against the floor.


	23. Betrayal

Chapter 17 - Betrayal

Yami heard the sound.

Griffin smirked.

And the spell dispersed without a trace.

Everything froze in less then a second.

Through the sudden silence, Yami opened his eyes. His heart was already tearing to ribbons. He could sense the new presence so clearly, the aura was unmistakable.

Slowly, Yami looked up.

And was met with wide, beautiful amethyst eyes.

"Yugi…" Yami whispered.

He watched in frozen numbness as his Hikari stared at them for a spilt-second in absolute shock - before turning to pure devastating horror, filling those crystalline eyes.

Yami's spirit shattered as those eyes he adored so much changed so drastically as they locked on his.

There was such betrayal filling those eyes…such betrayal Yami would've traded the world to erase.

Across the hallway, Yugi stumbled back unsteadily, suddenly looking so pale and distressed, it looked like he had already died but was somehow still standing upright.

_Something bad…this was something bad…really, really bad…_

That's all that seemed to be registering in Yugi's mind right then. He'd _heard _Yami's pleasure filled moans at the hands of the new student. He could _see _the image of Yami locked in Griffin's embrace. He could _see _Yami pinned against the wall in the middle of being ravished by Griffin… but it wasn't registering properly.

It was like his own mind was trying to block out something so devastating, it knew he couldn't possibly handle it all in one go, so it was trying it's best to not even acknowledge what his eyes were seeing…

Then it did.

And then Yugi's world fell apart.

Yugi stared, utterly devastated, at his boyfriend.

"Yami…" He whispered.

There were no more words, nothing else to be said at that moment. Yugi took another step back, slowly shaking his head as he continued to stare - hoping and wishing he was just having a freak nightmare.

He couldn't believe it. He seriously couldn't believe it.

And yet there it was.

Yami in Griffin's arms.

And it shattered Yugi's whole world.

Resolve, strength and love that had been so unwillingly drained from Yami finally returned with a vengeance. Once more feeling vaguely like himself, Yami broke free from Griffin, finding the strength to finally push back against the other's chest which is what he had been trying to do for the past two minutes. He stepped towards Yugi, desperate to make him understand.

"Yugi," He said urgently, already reaching out for him.

But he was a fraction too slow. Yugi's heart was already shattered way beyond repair. And Yugi was racing away down the corridor, books forgotten.

"Yugi!" Yami cried after him.

But his boyfriend was already gone, leaving nothing but a broken heart in his wake.

As Yami took off after him, Griffin watched him go.

After a moment, he smiled.

* * *

Yami finally caught up to Yugi in the middle of the school grounds.

"Yugi! Wait! Please!" Yami pleaded, managing to catch hold of his Light's sleeve momentarily.

Suddenly, Yugi stopped eight feet away and whirled around to his Dark.

Yami blinked, shocked and distressed at the same time. His Hikari's cheeks were streaming with tears from distraught, broken eyes. After everything he had ever seen in Yugi's face - he'd never seen such complete desolation of an entire spirit as pure as his ever before.

"How could you?" Yugi whispered distraught.

Yami stared, stunned. He had expected Yugi to scream at him after what had happened - but he didn't. He just sounded…devastated.

Yugi was psychically shaking where he stood. Shaking with silent sobs convulsing through his body, trembling with suppressed anger, betrayal and hurt all rolled into one explosive form and squished far, far down inside him just so Yugi could stand to face Yami again.

It was like he was struggling with himself just to keep together to confront Yami and not break down completely right there and then.

"Yugi -" Yami tried again, taking a step closer.

Yugi took a step back. "How could you? How could you do this to me Yami?"

Yami's heart twisted agonisingly as his lovely little Light looked up at him almost hysterical, but still desperately searching for answers to everything that had happened.

Instantly Yami hated himself to the core. He hated feeling that intense pain searing so unforgivingly through his wonderful Light's aura, hated seeing it cloud over those eyes he had come to adore so much…

He just wanted to die for all the hurt he had caused Yugi in that fateful moment.

Yugi shook his head, staring at his Dark. "I-I didn't want to believe it…I didn't want it to be true…but it is….and you were really…you _were_…"

His voice stunted, faltering as the full situation crashed down on his already vulnerable and bruised spirit. The pea-sized bundle of dread in his heart burst out with a vengeance, cruelly burning away half his heart with it.

It was true. It was all true.

"Yugi please," Yami tried again anxiously. "It wasn't what you think, I swear."

Yugi stared at him, his very soul shredding to ribbons as he did so. He was shaking his head in pure grief as his heart was literally torn out by the one he thought he could trust above all.

All that time he had spent trying to ignore his malicious conscience's innuendoes - it had all been pointless. Because it had all been true. Every gory detail of those horrible thoughts had been true. Yami had been with Griffin all that time…

"It's true," Yugi found himself whispering.

Yami gazed at his Hikari, so close to hysteria the moment he saw the betrayal and disbelief in the other's eyes.

And then he suddenly knew.

Yugi was never going to believe him. He was never going to understand what happened. Yugi was never going to forgive him.

"You were cheating on me!" Yugi shouted suddenly, unable to contain the pain any longer. "How could you Yami! I loved you! I loved you with everything I had! And you cheated on me! And with _him_!"

Desperation took over.

"No! Yugi!" Yami cried trying to catch his lover as Yugi continued to back away. "It wasn't real! Please you have believe me -!"

Tears flooded unforgivingly down Yugi's cheeks, never once turning away to hide his tears. He wanted Yami to see his pain, wanted to him to see exactly what he'd done.

"I trusted you!" Yugi exclaimed hysterically. "I trusted you with everything! My whole life, my heart, my body, everything! _How could you do this to me_!"

"Please Yugi, you don't understand -!"

"I trusted you!" Yugi shouted, half-angry, half-upset. "I trusted you with me! You promised you'd never hurt me like this! HOW COULD YOU!"

Yami stared at his Light, his heart pounding harder and harder as the wronged words fell from the other's lips. "I didn't want to hurt you, I swear! Please listen to me -!"

"If you didn't love me anymore why didn't you just say!" Yugi interrupted, trying to break Yami's grip as he pulled him closer, wanting nothing more then to run away.

"I do love you! I still love you more then anything!"

"LIAR!"

Yami felt the distress flood him again. His own lover didn't want to listen, he was too caught up in the belief that Yami had wronged him so badly, he didn't want to know, didn't want to understand.

Yugi was slipping away from him. Yami was losing the one he loved more then the world.

Tears fell from his eyes as he wept for the loss yet to come.

And that broke Yami down completely.

"All the time we've been apart," Yugi stated angrily. "Is that what you've been doing? All the excuses, all the reasons for not being around these past two days - have you been shacking with him for all that time?"

"No!" Yami cried in despair. "Nothing happened! It wasn't like that! Please believe me!"

Yugi pulled away, darting back a few feet to stare at him. His heart was silently crumbling away as he looked at his Dark.

Yugi could just strangle himself. Even as he looked at Yami, just seeing that distress and pleading in his eyes made him want to run right back into his arms and comfort him, and kiss those tears away no matter what Yami had just done to him. Just knowing that made Yugi hate himself to the core.

He could see the grief in Yami's eyes, but even if there was no trace of guilt, Yugi just couldn't see past his own sense of betrayal to see what Griffin had done to the two of them.

It was almost ironic.

"I didn't want it to be true." Yugi said softly, gazing, sickened, at the one he had so whole-heartedly given his life to, his heart, even his body, only to be so used and disgraced like this. "I wanted to believe you…I can't believe I let you hurt me."

Yami gazed at him in silent anxiety, more tears falling from his eyes as he hoped against hope what Yugi said next wasn't what he dreaded to hear.

His soul was tearing apart at the very thought of not even being near Yugi anymore, the sheer thought was enough to make him want to kill himself right then and there all over again. He couldn't imagine life being alone again, it was his worst nightmare - no, living without Yugi was his worse nightmare. He couldn't bare the thought of living again if it wasn't with his Hikari. And yet there it was…the terrifying notion was just maliciously presenting itself before his very eyes.

It was too much…Yami didn't know how to handle it.

Yugi laughed softly, totally oblivious to all of this he was so caught up in angst.

Sheer disgrace at himself now laced in his voice. "I should've known, I should've listened to myself," He said bitterly. "Everything told me you'd do this. The moment another gorgeous guy comes along, you just drop me no matter how much I cared about you. After all you did it before didn't you? The moment you wanted me, you forgot about Seto and threw him away for your next target. Why did I ever think it was going to be different? Is that all I am to you? Just another thing to play with and throw away when you get bored?"

The words were cutting Yami deep, cruelly slashing into him with every bitter note, like hundreds of knives stabbing in unison. He covered his face with his hands unable to take the revulsion of himself to the one he loved anymore. Every harsh word that fell from his beloved's lips hacked deep into his heart, shredding it to ribbons as the remorse continued to flood through him, becoming more and more intense.

It wasn't true, any of it. Yet Yami knew Yugi had every right to think that he'd been cheating all this time, to accuse him of such evil things …after all he had done it before hadn't he? He had forgotten Seto so easily to be with Yugi.

But the fact that he never loved Seto didn't seem to mean anything right then.

Yami pressed a hand to his head. It was hurting so bad, he was sure he was going to pass out if the grief didn't kill him first.

"It's not true…" Yami whispered weakly. "It's not true…"

"Isn't it?" Yugi said maliciously. "Did I NOT just see you making out with someone else when you're supposed to be with me?"

His Dark shook his head in despair. Yami couldn't take it. He couldn't handle being hated by Yugi - it shattered his spirit.

"Yugi please…" Yami pleaded, distraught. "You don't understand…"

"Of course I don't understand! You're supposed to be with me! How could you do this! _I trusted you_! And the moment I'm not there you go off with Griffin! _Griffin _for god's sake!"

"Yugi -" Yami tried again.

The Hikari recoiled yet again as Yami tried to catch him, desperate to make him understand.

"I love you Yugi," Yami stated wilfully. "I love you. Please, please believe that, even if you don't believe me."

His Hikari shook his head, unable to believe anything that fell from his Dark's lips anymore.

"How can I?" Yugi whispered sadly.

A soft sob quietly escaped Yugi, those destroyed amethyst eyes gazing unforgivingly up at his once beloved Dark again.

He slowly shook is head, backing away. "You liar." Yugi whispered, shattered. More tears fell. "I gave you everything I had, and you _cheated _on me…I gave you my heart, my soul - I even gave you my body and you still didn't care enough to even tell me you didn't love me anymore. I will _never _forgive you Yami. I'll never forgive you for this."

Yami closed his eyes; he couldn't bear to see Yugi run away from him again, and this time knowing he'd never come back.

That was it.

Yami's world was over.

Yugi didn't want to listen, didn't want to believe, didn't want to trust him anymore.

Yami had just spectacularly broken Yugi's heart, and he had managed to do it in the most devastating way possible.

That was it.

More tears flooded down Yami's cheeks as he fell to his knees, sobs already convulsing through his body, one hand clutching at his heart in sheer agony.

There were no words to how much he hated himself right then.

But someone sure knew how to describe it.

"_You bastard_!"

Detachedly, Yami looked up at Joey, suddenly feeling him grasp his shirt and mercilessly dragging him up again.

"You bastard!" Joey yelled again, pulling back a fist, his honeyed eyes blazing in the fiery sunset. "I can't believe you! You promised nothing was going on! You promised me you only lived for Yugi! I trusted you with Yugi! _How the hell could you do this_!"

Yami didn't respond. Not in any sense anyway.

Slowly, he raised a hand to his head, pressing it against his throbbing temple, wishing the headache would kill him already as he looked up at his friend's murderous face almost impassively.

"I didn't want to…" Yami whispered detachedly. "I tried to stop, but he wouldn't…"

Joey faltered slightly, his fist freezing in mid air. "What?"

Out of seemingly nowhere, Seto suddenly entered Yami's view. "What do you mean?" He asked suspiously.

For the past few moments, Yami had been so messed up in the confines of his own head, that it only just occurred to him that Yugi had run away from him in suicidal tears.

Finally it clicked.

With a sharp gasp, Yami tried to wrench out of Joey's grip, desperate to find Yugi again.

"Oh no you don't," Joey stated furiously, tightening his grip.

"No! Let go! I have to find Yugi!" Yami cried, trying to break the hold as he stared at the direction Yugi had taken. "Let go!"

"Hell no!" Joey shouted back. "You are so gonna pay for hurting him, you hear me? You promised you wouldn't hurt him then you went and did it anyway! You broke his heart and you're _not getting away with it_!"

"Let go!" Yami cried again, trying to break free which seemed to be getting harder and harder with each passing moment.

It was true.

There was something happening to Yami none of them could even begin to understand. Yami suddenly felt so weak. A lot weaker then ever before.

"Whoa!" Joey cried out, quickly catching him as Yami practically collapsed against him. "Hey, Yami what're you -?"

Beside him, Seto watched as his lover grasped Yami's shoulders, carefully holding him back so they could see him. But Yami was making it difficult.

His hands were suddenly pressed to his head, his face half hidden so the other teenagers couldn't see him clearly.

"What's wrong with him?" Mokuba's voice asked, watching the scene in apprehensive awe a little way behind them.

"Yami?" Seto said, a little gentler but still very aware of the weirdness.

Joey glared at Yami. "Don't tell me you're having an attack of the conscience, Yami. Because it's way too late for that." He said nastily. "What the hell kind of boyfriend are you anyway? I told you you're going to hurt Yugi! I told you you'd mess him around if you didn't come clean! Look what you've done Yami! You gone and cheated on Yugi with Griffin! How could -"

"I didn't want to!" Yami burst out suddenly.

Joey yelped suddenly as Yami had looked up, accidentally releasing his hold on the former pharaoh.

Without a second thought, Yami raced away, desperately running after Yugi in the general direction he'd taken.

Joey stood stock still, his eyes wide as he watched Yami go. Beside him, his boyfriend laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I knew it," Seto said murderously.

Joey stared after Yami, stunned. "His eyes…"

Seto nodded. "Let's go, we've gotta catch him before Griffin does."

"But his eyes…"

"I know."

"They were half black."

"I know."

"But they were…and he just cheated on Yugi…and then he was crying and then -"

"Joey!" Seto said sharply, pulling Joey around to face him. "Get a grip!"

Joey silenced.

"Don't you get it?" Seto stated, his blue eyes filled with sudden anxiety. "He _didn't _cheat on Yugi!"

Joey stared at him. "But we just heard them -"

"No," Seto said forcefully. "That's what Yugi _thinks _he saw - but you heard Yami himself."

Joey shook his head, still not getting it.

"Joey, he didn't _want _to cheat."

Still didn't get it.

"His eyes are half black - there's something _wrong _with him."

Joey stared at him blankly.

"Yami's wrists were bruised. _Really _bruised. "

Finally it clicked.

Joey's eyes widened. "Oh no…"

Seto nodded gravely. "He was forced."

"And Yugi has no idea," Mokuba whispered.

"You mean - what Yugi saw -" Joey started. "Griffin was _holding _Yami _down_?"

"Let's get to the car." Seto ordered, already dragging the others. "Griffin's doing this, I know he is. He's breaking Yugi and Yami apart for some reason. I knew there was something not right about Griffin. Where would Yugi go?"

"Home," Joey stated, jumping into the Mercedes SLR convertible. "He'll lock himself in his room forever and cry his heart out till he dies."

"What about Yami?" Mokuba asked anxiously.

Seto glanced at him via the rear-view mirror, already burning up the road in the haste to get to Yugi's house. He didn't answer - he didn't know how. He had no idea what the blackness was or what Griffin was possibly doing to Yami and why.

Anxiety filled him as he floored the accelerator.

It was a shame he didn't know the blackness was a million times more deadly then Griffin could ever be.

* * *

Note – I felt so bad when I wrote this, so I apologise to anyone who hates me for putting Yami and Yugi though this and made you cry.


	24. Sealed

Note – THANK U FOR THE REVIEWS! I was so worried about that last chapter, I hated every second of writing it and I wasn't sure if it was good enough, but you all like it! Yay!

Note 2 – Thanx for the poem Divine Seraphim, it was so heartbreaking, I loved it! Did you write that?

Note 3 – I swear my reviewers are getting stranger and stranger – is it my fics? Is my story making you all crazed? If so…COOL! The world needs more people like ME!

* * *

Chapter 24 - Sealed

"Yugi?" Sakura said in surprise, looking up from where they were talking in the front terrace of the Game Shop.

Yugi ran right past her, racing towards the door to the Game shop as if his life depended on it.

But he didn't account for Krysta's fast reflexes that came naturally to a cheerleader.

"Hey," Krysta said, catching his arm and making him spin around in one fluid movement. "Yugi what's wro -"

The words died on her lips.

"Yugi? What happened?" She asked, looking into bloodshot, tear-filled eyes.

Yugi shook his head in distress. He couldn't bring himself to voice it. He couldn't bring himself to even think about it, yet there it was, just playing mercilessly over and over in his mind.

_His _Yami in Griffin's arms. _His _beautiful Yami. _His _beloved Yami, possessed by…_him_.

It was enough to make him want to slit his throat.

Yugi shook his head, trying to find the words as Krysta looked at him, now quickly being joined by Tea, Sakura, Ryou and oddly enough, Bakura too, all concerned at his distraught appearance.

But he couldn't do it.

Sobs convulsed through his small form.

The image echoing through his mind was destroying him from the inside out. He couldn't even bring himself to explain what had happened and just how soul-searingly devastating it had all felt.

He just wanted to die.

"Yugi!" Called a frantic voice.

Yugi recognised it without even trying. Instantly his heart began to sear with even worse agony then before. He didn't want to see him, he didn't even want to be around him. He couldn't bear to lose more of his shattered heart to him.

Yugi bolted away as Krysta glanced up at the shout, unconsciously loosening her hand on his arm. Already rushing for the door, Yugi dared not turn back knowing that with one look at his friends and his Dark, his plan to go kill himself will never come to pass.

Something caught his hand, pulling him back.

"Yugi please," Yami pleaded, defiantly pulling him away from the door and half-dragging him back to the middle of the terrace so Yugi couldn't escape into the house and lock himself away.

Yugi whirled around suddenly, looking up at Yami through the early stages of the sunset.

"Why?" He asked cruelly, trying and failing to stem more tears. "Did you want to hurt be some more? Go ahead! It seems like you think I deserve it for some reason!"

Yami shook his head, gazing at his lover. "Tenshi…"

"Don't call me that!" Yugi shouted furiously.

Yami bit his lip, trying to keep a grip on what he was doing - but it was getting increasingly hard, especially when all he wanted to do was collapse from the pain in his heart as well as from the pain in his head.

"Lov - Yugi," Yami said sincerely. "I swear to you, it wasn't like you saw! You have to believe me!"

"I believe I saw you with your tongue down Griffin's throat!"

There were stunned gasps all round.

"You didn't," Bakura smirked, actually impressed at the audacity. He was always one for street theatre, especially the malicious type.

"Oh my god! You cheated?" Tea practically shouted to the world.

"That's not what happened!" Yami exclaimed, close to an all-out panic-attack. "I didn't want -!"

The loud roar of an engine slashed through the air. Everyone turned and stared as a Mercedes recklessly skidded to a halt half on the curb out side the Game Shop.

"Yugi!" Joey called, jumping out of the car. "Yugi you've got it wrong! Yami wasn't cheating on you!"

Yugi stared at him, utterly scandalised.

"I can't believe this - you're siding with him too!" Yugi exclaimed. "I _know _what saw Joey!"

"No you don't!" Seto said sharply. "You think you do but you've got it all wrong!"

Throughout this entire exchange, Yami hadn't heard a word of it.

He could feel it again. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong. Something was _wrong _with _him_.

Unaware, no one noticed just what was happening to him as Yami dropped to his knees in agony; all thinking he was just breaking down, nothing more.

Clutching his head in his hands he squeezed his eyes shut. His head was pounding with pain, throbbing way out of control until it was so intense he just wanted to scream to let out the agony it was causing him.

Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.

Suddenly Yami realised silence had fallen. Almost silence. There was a low rumble of a motorcycle engine filling the air.

Slowly, he looked up to the source, somehow already knowing what it was. He could sense those green eyes and mysterious aura a hundred miles away.

A figure leaning leisurely against the bike looked up.

Griffin smiled cunningly, locking onto his half-crimson eyes. "Stand up Yami."

Something altered. Something Yami didn't understand. Something that bypassed his mind completely and took over his form.

He felt himself stand up.

Instantly all knew this was the one Yami had supposedly kissed. Knowing that, the group instantly unleashed a collective death glare at him.

"What're you doing here?" Joey demanded fiercely, his fists already clenching at his sides.

Griffin's gaze never faltered from Yami's. "I've come for Yami."

There were half a dozen shocked gasps.

Yugi's amethyst eyes widened, yet another hole being torn out of his soul. "F-for Yami?"

"That's right." Griffin said smoothly, looking away from Yami to glance at the onlookers briefly but conceitedly. "I want him. He's been mine for a long time."

Opposite the newcomer, the friends unconsciously clustered together, protectively surrounding Yugi and Yami, who was still kneeling in the centre of the terrace, staring impassively, with his friends and Yugi on one side, and Griffin facing them off from the other.

"What?" Seto demanded, his blue eyes instantly glaring angrily. "Who the _hell _do you think you are?"

Yami didn't really understand what was happening. It was that same feeling again, the feeling he had gotten when he was watching the fight that morning. The sensation that he wasn't in control of himself anymore - but something or _someone _was controlling him instead…

Griffin smiled, standing up from where he was leaning against his bike. He held out a hand, his dark locks falling across those incredible green eyes as he focused on Yami again.

"Come to me Yami."

There was silence.

Yami didn't move. But he was currently fighting the urge to do anything Griffin asked of him. He couldn't explain it. He felt like he had to do what the other said, and some of him wanted to do it. But on the other hand, a whole lot more of him didn't want to do it. But still the rest of his body didn't seem to be listening or paying heed.

Yami took as hesitant step toward Griffin.

"Yami what're you doing?" Krysta asked, shocked.

The former pharaoh tried to answer, tried to look away from Griffin, but he couldn't. He was being held there spellbound, unable to run back to Yugi like his heart was screaming at him to do. Well had been screaming at him…now it was getting gradually quieter and quieter…

The bond between Yugi and Yami was severed. Shattered. So much so, there wasn't even a shred of untainted love left in his Hikari at that moment. And without that love to protect Yami, there was no way he could resist Griffin's sheer power.

"Come to me Yami." Griffin said again. "He doesn't love you anymore. You belong with me."

The truth struck Yami deep. He knew it wasn't true, but none of him seemed to want to believe him - just Griffin.

"That's not true!" Mokuba said quickly. He glanced up anxiously. "Right Yugi?"

Yugi didn't answer. He stared at the scene.

There was something messed up about all of this, he could feel it. It was like the strange prickly sensation in the atmosphere just before a storm breaks. Almost like a warning that things weren't going to stay vaguely okay for long.

But he still didn't know what to make of it. And he still had a savagely broken heart that demanded attention much louder then the weird sensation did.

"Yugi," Seto said, a little more urgently.

Yugi glanced at them, then back at Yami. His Dark still hadn't said a word, or even looked away from Griffin to glance at him. What could that possibly mean? Did Yami really believe what Griffin had just said? Why wasn't Yami denying it? Did he really think that?

_Why wasn't Yami asking me if I still loved him?_

It dawned on Yugi; a lot like the knowledge that the world was going to end and there was absolutely nothing you could do about it.

_Was Yami in love with Griffin?_

"He doesn't love you anymore Yami," Griffin said again. "He doesn't care about you the way I do. Just come with me."

Yami tried not to step even closer, but he had no control anymore.

He wanted to do something, say something to tell his friends what was wrong, but his voice didn't even seem to work anymore. His whole body seemed to be moving on its own accord, leaving him trapped inside looking out, and watching himself doing something he _didn't _want to do. He was losing control of his own body, and even more terrifyingly…he didn't seem to mind.

Griffin's emerald eyes glinted in the fading light.

"Yami!" Joey said urgently.

The former pharaoh flinched slightly, but didn't answer.

Griffin's smile widened. "Go on Yami. Let them know who you really live for."

As if looking at himself from the outside, Yami felt himself take another step towards Griffin. He heard the gasps behind him, all the voices of his friends already beginning to yell and plead with him to reconsider.

All but one voice.

Yami's determination faltered. He hadn't heard Yugi's voice. He hadn't heard it for a while now, but he could still sense his Hikari there, but still…Yugi hadn't said a word, hadn't called him back, hadn't even offered a sign that there was any reason to ever turn back again.

Yami gazed ahead of him, still under this weird, almost insubstantial control, that for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why it wasn't freaking him out anymore the way it had done the first time it happened. Something was coming over him, slowly but surely, gradually leaking away all his will, all his control, and gently…coercing him back to Griffin.

But Yugi wasn't calling him back…without Yugi, Yami had no _reason _to go on living…no _reason _to keep resisting Griffin's charms that were slowly taking him over…

Just knowing that, sliced Yami's resistance to Griffin in half, he just didn't have the determination to save himself anymore if there wasn't anything worth surviving for.

The remaining crimson of Yami's eyes clarified further, becoming almost translucent in colour, and losing the dark pupil altogether. But with his back to his friends, none of them saw this, only Griffin, and his smile widened.

"Yugi!" Sakura said in despair. "What're you doing? Are you just gonna let Yami go?"

Yugi stared at Yami's back unresponsively. He felt numb. His heart was broken, his spirit shattered, and yet he still loved Yami more then the world. And still Yami wasn't turning around to him, he hadn't even glanced back at him in all this time, but just kept on staring at Griffin.

Yugi closed his eyes, tears slipping silently down his cheeks…and slowly shook his head.

If Yami didn't love him anymore, he was prepared to let him go. Yugi wasn't going to fight for Yami if his Dark didn't love him any longer, there just wasn't any point to it. After all, love only ever lasted so long - didn't it?

Griffin grinned, glancing past Yami to look at his Hikari triumphantly. This was it, the final moments. The spell was almost complete.

All that was left was to seal it once and for all.

The friends watched in silent horror as one of the most adored an perfect couples were about to be split apart forever right before their eyes.

Griffin walked up to Yami, gazing down into Yami's passive but forlorn eyes. He smiled softly, seeing the spell working ever more to control the last of the ruby of the other's eyes, the blackness altering slightly to ebb around the edges of Yami's irises, instead casting the remaining crimson in the same hypnotic clarity gradually taking control over Yami himself.

"He doesn't love you," Griffin whispered, gazing into Yami's eyes, lightly raising a hand to caress his cheek. "Your Hikari doesn't love you anymore Yami. But I do. I've always wanted you. _Just you_."

Yami leaned unconsciously into the touch; it felt so gentle, so tender, a touch he felt like he hadn't gained an entire lifetime rather then just a day. He could sense the desire rising within him again as he looked at Griffin. But still…there was this tiny little voice nipping at the back of his mind…trying desperately to get his attention for some reason…

"I want you Yami," Griffin told him softly. "I've always wanted you. Only you. All you have to do…is give yourself to me."

More self-will left Yami, the spell densing invisibly around him even more.

He felt Griffin slip an arm around his waist - but he couldn't even summon the will to resist, let alone stop him as the other pulled him even closer, once more pressing him to his own body.

"I can give you anything Yami," Griffin whispered. "Blood, carnage, violence, destruction…anything you desire…"

Something in Yami ignited, a lust he didn't even know was there. A lust that had been implanted by Griffin's evil magics themselves. A lust that tied Yami unforgivingly to Griffin's magics and so tied him mercilessly to Griffin too. A lust for all the most destructive senses of being alive.

And he liked it.

Across the terrace, the whole weirdness factor of the situation struck Yugi again, only the thought occurred right at the back of his mind. Right now, all he could think about was the many ways in which he could go kill himself the moment he had summoned the will to stop staring as Griffin literally stole his boyfriend right before his eyes.

He wanted to say something, he wanted to stop them…but he couldn't. Yami was acting like his Hikari didn't even exist anymore, he was just standing there, being subjected to Griffin's charms without -

Yugi frowned mid-thought, the weirdness factor finally registering in his head.

There was silence all around him as everyone watched in sheer shock and horror at what Yami was doing.

But not Yugi - he was beginning to see it. He just couldn't see _what_.

Meanwhile Yami was losing more and more of himself. The more he looked into Griffin's eyes the less he seemed to be able to think for himself. The headache was so intense now, he was using his last reaming mental functions to vaguely wonder how he was still standing as the rest of the world except Griffin all seemed to fade away.

He felt Griffin slip his hand away from his cheek to under his chin, gently tilting Yami's face up.

"I can give you everything Yami," Griffin whispered. "Anything. All you have to do…is be with me."

_Be with Griffin…_

Why not? He was hot, he seemed okay, Yugi didn't love him anymore…

_Did he?_

Yami was trying to claw back his resolve now, but it was like trying to reach a blob of jelly someone had decided to throw off a cliff while Yami had been tied down with a steel rope to a nearby tree. The jelly just kept on getting further and further out of reach, and Yami couldn't move, and there was nothing else he could do to get to it.

Weaker and weaker…losing more and more control…

Yami needed help - but no one knew what exactly was going on.

From the point of view from all present, Yami was just getting majorly hit on by another guy while his boyfriend watched in suicidal tears. No one _actually _knew there was anything else going on, or just how much danger Yami was actually in.

Griffin's eyes glinted in the fading light.

"Be mine Yami," He whispered. "Always be mine…"

Yugi wanted to look away, but he couldn't. He wanted to do something, say something, but he couldn't. He also want to die right there, but he couldn't. Nothing could tear his gaze away from the inevitable.

Griffin was leaning ever closer to Yami, closing the gap between their lips.

It was going to be too late for anyone involve to realise what was happening. Mostly because Yami thought there was nothing left to salvage with Yugi and so had given up fighting, Yugi had given up trying to even think Yami still loved him, and everyone else simply didn't know there was so much more going on then a mere switch of lovers.

Their lips were only millimetres apart now, and Yami was completely at Griffin's mercy; therefore, technically, that made him _willing_…

This was it.

The spell heightened.

Ready to break down entirely, Yugi looked on in dread.

"YUGI STOP HIM!"

Everything faltered. Startled, all eyes darted behind them and Griffin's gaze shot up from what he was so intently about to do. His eyes darkened in silent disbelief, rage and blind hatred all rolled into one dangerous expression across his gorgeous face.

The shout came from the wooden side door that lead to the back of the house. It was the place another blue and black motorcycle was still parked.

Everyone stared in sheer shock.

Leo and Yue were standing there. After an entire day of being completely missing - they were just standing there looking regal and gorgeous in their magical robes. Only Leo was being half-supported by his lover's arms around his waist, looking a lot worse for wear then the beautiful Yue considering all the blood stains over his blue and black robes.

And Leo was looking all-too livid for _anyone's _liking - and Leo had one hell of a dangerous temper when sparked off. One that was rare but definitely deadly.

"Yugi!" Leo shouted again, his vivid azure blue eyes burning with anger, horror and hatred all mixed together. "Stop Yami! Get him away from Griffin! NOW!"

Across the clearing, Yami still stood, unaware, unreactive and oblivious to everything in his trance-like state. It was too far gone - there was no chance in hell Yami could save himself now.

Griffin grinned triumphantly, his gaze locking onto Leo's as is grip around Yami tightened possessively.

"Too late Eclipse." He sneered.

"Yugi!" Leo and Yue called anxiously.

Then lots of things happened in a _very _short space of time. About three seconds to be exact.

Firstly, the weirdness overruled the betrayal, and Yugi's love burst out in all its glory once more, now knowing this was _definitely _all wrong.

"Yami?" Yugi called uncertainly, instantly stepping towards with lovely Dark, still imprisoned in his rival's arms.

But he didn't get far.

Something repelled him, violently and painfully throwing him back into his friends. It was a sort of invisible force-field that Griffin cast to keep Yami for himself no matter what happened. But it didn't matter anyway, because…

…one word from his beloved was all it took.

Yami blinked. He'd heard the voice. He _knew _that voice. He _trusted _that voice, _loved _that voice…and it sounded so frightened, so uncertain, why?

Something was wrong about this, all wrong.

Clawing back enough of his strength, Yami tried to focus on his lover only to suddenly have Yugi instantly fill every atom of his mind. And also fill it with every thought, feeling, glance, memory and anything else that made Yami love him so much.

And finally the tiny voice in the back of his mind turned back into a scream - a scream from his heart to get away from the monster about to steal his life.

Just one word from Yugi was all it took. But it was enough. And it took less then a second for it all to click into place.

The blackness receded fearfully, the Hikari's pure love ignited once more to repair bond enough to protect Yami again - and bring him right back to his senses.

Three seconds passed in a flash.

With a sharp gasp, suddenly realising just what he was doing, Yami stepped back from Griffin, the spell faltering uncertainly around him.

He didn't want to do this, he _never _wanted to do this. It was something about Griffin that altered his own mind, made him think he wanted this but he really, really didn't. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to lose Yugi - not for anything.

The spell crumbled further, threatening to break down again just like before.

Now Yami was definitely _unwilling_.

But Griffin didn't hesitate. He had waited far too long… he'd suffered in the blackness for millennia… his bitterness and desire was well out of control…he wanted this too much…

He couldn't have stopped himself if he tried. Griffin grasped Yami's wrist and dragged him forcefully back before he had a chance to react.

And caught Yami's surprised lips in a deep kiss.

_One kiss was all he needed._

The spell sealed.

* * *

Note – Haha! Leo and Yue are okay! I love them much too much to kill them off! Woo!

Note 2 – Sorry, this is just a weenie little cliffie, but only because I haven't perfected the next chapter yet and I felt bad about leaving you hanging yesterday.

Note 3 – All together now: WE HATE GRIFFIN! Say it with me: DEATH TO GRIFFIN!


	25. Control

Notes for the reviews –

Sansi – You always make me laugh with your reviews!

alilcrazy 87 – I like your poem, it's very evocative, but you could really make it better by cutting out words, make the reader think about what you're trying to say rather then full-on telling them, that's what poetry's about, you need to make the reader think about it from their point of view rather then from yours. Other then that the contant is very interesting, even I felt myself associating with what you meant.

Divine Seraphim – yep, you made me smile again! I love it when people take the time to give me a proper critical view, it helps me improve my work, so thanx! And you were so nice about it! And you love Leo and Yue too! That just makes everything great again!

To everyone in general –THANX FOR ALL THE CHANTING! COLLECTIVE YGO FANPEOPLE AGAINST GRIFFIN! WOO!

* * *

Chapter 25 – Control

There was a flash of something. It could have been light, but it was pure black, perhaps a flash of black light. A light deeper and darker then the dark side of the moon. It flared out vividly around Yami and Griffin, rippling out in a wide circle, viciously knocking back all who stood in its way before dispersing to create a magical veil of blackness all around them that none could see through more then a metre.

Oddly blinded, it took the teenagers a few seconds to recover, all gingerly picking themselves up with mild groans.

"What happened?" Sakura squeaked looking around anxiously, clutching her Star Staff to her heart.

"Good question." Ryou said, being pulled up by his Dark.

Thick darkness suddenly surrounded them like a dense veil, blocking out even the light from the distant moonrise. Blackness reigned even darker then the night that rolled silently in. they could see the night beyond the blackness, but they were still surrounded by this strange new magic that was severely limiting their vision.

It only just occurred to them the blackness _was _the unknown magics.

"This is so not good." Krysta said softly as they all banded together.

Sakura bit her lip. "Definitely not good."

"I've never sensed this power before." Seto stated.

"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked, well out of his depth.

"A new magic?" Joey asked anxiously.

"No," Bakura said, suddenly dead serious as he pulled Ryou to him protectively. "An _old _magic."

They could sense the ancient, but powerful magics all around them - all the magically gifted of the group could. But what was most frightening, was the fact neither of them knew what the hell this old but new magical power was - or where it had suddenly sprung from.

Eight seconds later, all eyes relatively adjusted to the shadows, and they all stared, clustering even closer together.

Leo and Yue were suddenly in front of them all, keeping Yugi protectively between them as the rest of the stunned teenagers looked on in absolute shock, awe and misunderstanding.

The two eldest of the group were already fully armed with Yugi kneeling on the ground where he had fallen when the black ripple had knocked them all back.

To Yugi's right, Leo's remaining sword had been dismissed back into his tall blue jade Elemental Staff topped with the back-to-back blue jade crescent moons connected by the golden star - the mark of the Fifth Element Ruled by the Moon. And to Yugi's left, Yue was armed with his celestial bow and arrow created of moon magics, ready and aimed at Griffin's heart with all the skill and precision of a master archer.

In a split-second, Sakura, Krysta, and Bakura were armed with magics, and Seto and Joey armed with fists forming the second line of defence, just in case should it be needed, keeping Ryou, Tea, and Mokuba protectively behind them.

For a moment nobody moved.

They were waiting.

What they were waiting for, was for the unknown magics to clear. Mostly because at that moment, the group couldn't see Yami or Griffin, or anything else outside of a two metre radius around them. They couldn't see the Game Shop, the street they were on, or even the two motorcycles that belonged to Griffin and one to Leo. All they could see was the night sky far in the distance.

They were surrounded by the ancient, powerful magics that threatened them with its sheer power, impressing upon the teenagers with its very presence just how much more magically powerful the blackness was then anything else imaginable.

All grasped their weapons and defensive magics tighter.

Out of the silence, came the most chilling of sounds.

There was a soft, but fatally knowing chuckle across the clearing. The voice was unmistakable as, finally, the blackness receded.

And Yami and Griffin came back into view.

Gasps echoed through the group.

Yami and Griffin hadn't moved from where they had been standing when the magic erupted. In fact Yami hadn't moved an inch from where he was. He still stood there, locked in Griffin's embrace, with his back to his friends.

Griffin smiled, his eyes still closed as he clasped Yami tighter in his embrace, encircling Yami's unresisting form.

"_At last_…" He whispered triumphantly. His voice rose victoriously. "At last! The Prince is _mine_! All mine!"

Clutching his Staff tighter, Leo's eyes blazed with anger, shimmering vividly through the darkness with awakened power and fury in a dangerous mix.

"_You bastard_…"

Griffin's eyes opened and instantly locked on Leo's. Azure blue clashed with emerald green.

Griffin smirked, taking in the other's appearance, gently holding Yami back from him, pulling away to see the other, but still keeping Yami within his grasp.

Griffin laughed, loud, evil and audacious.

"Eclipse…" He taunted, smirking. "I should've known I couldn't kill you so easily. After all these years, you still act as defiant as ever." He chuckled, looking over the other mockingly. "Then again, from the looks of it, you can barely stand. If it wasn't for your very-lovely _Priestess _you wouldn't even have made it, would you?"

Yue's feline eyes flickered with sudden silent anger. The catlike slits of his pupils narrowed further, containing his fury to a ferocious glare as he tightened his grip on his bow and arrow.

Griffin chuckled again, taunting Leo and Yue, almost totally oblivious to everyone else.

Even Yugi.

And right then, he had no idea what the hell was going on. He could sense the anger and fear radiating through his friends' auras either side of him - especially so from Leo, as if…as if he _knew _something about this entire situation that no one else was aware of and it was currently chilling him to the core as well as making his blood boil.

Looking up, still literally as well as mentally in the dark as to what was going on, Yugi gazed at Yami.

He could sense his friends either side of him but…he couldn't sense Yami. He couldn't sense his Dark _at all_. It was like he wasn't even there; but Yugi could still see him right in front of him.

Yami still hadn't turned around either. He had just stood there in the exact same position since Griffin had possessively taken him into his arms. Even when the evil magics had taken them all by surprise and exploded into the strange black light, still…Yami hadn't moved an inch.

Yugi's heart began to accelerate with a serene sort of alarm. The wrongness of everything was weighing down on him so heavily now. He knew he should be feeling anxiety like none other right now, but he still wasn't sure what was happening other then Yami was in a lot of trouble being in Griffin's embrace. Especially with all that ancient magic in the air, currently keeping the translucent force-field that had repelled Yugi back a minutes ago still around Griffin and Yami protectively.

There seemed to be no way any of them could get to Yami. The unknown magics around them were just too strong.

And the way Yami wasn't responding to Griffin's tightening grip on his wrist as he had been taunting Yue and Leo wasn't helping ease the alarm either. From the looks of if, Yami wasn't reacting to _anything _at all.

Yugi's anxiety heightened.

Slowly, he stood up, staring at his boyfriend.

"Yami?" Yugi said softly, uncertainly.

Finally, Griffin's emerald green eyes focused on Yugi, noticing once more he was there. His triumphant grin widened conceitedly.

"Ah Hikari…" Griffin said chuckling softly.

Yugi flinched slightly at the address, unconsciously biting his lip as he looked up at Griffin. He sensed his friends automatically gather further around him.

Griffin's eyes glinted with a gleam of pure, malicious evilness, sparking through the once vivid green.

He chuckled again. "Still don't know what's happening, do you?"

Yugi stepped forward apprehensively; summoning courage he didn't even know was there.

"Be careful," Leo warned quietly, his gaze never leaving the enemy of old.

The younger teenager nodded.

Yugi kept his gaze on Yami.

"Yami," He called again, stronger this time.

Still, his Dark didn't move.

A stab of dread coursed coldly through Yugi. He could feel his blood turning to ice in his veins with every passing moment that Yami didn't respond.

His gaze flitted to Griffin. "What did you do to him?" He whispered.

Griffin laughed mirthlessly. "I took back what is rightfully mine."

"He was never yours," Leo countered murderously. "The promise was annulled."

"He was always mine!" Griffin snapped suddenly, his eyes blazing. "You stole him! Yami belongs to me!"

"No he doesn't!" Yugi shouted back, surprising himself with his own ferocity. "Yami is _my _Dark, my boyfriend, that makes him MINE!"

Green eyes flared through the darkness, centring on Yugi again as he changed tact.

Griffin smiled. "Why don't you ask him yourself, _Hikari_?"

Yugi's heart was suddenly pounding with anxiety. He knew something bad had happened, and was still happening. Something way beyond bad. But it still wasn't fully registering what it was in his mind. So, dread was of the unknown as well as of Griffin himself was filling him completely.

Without another word, Griffin raised a hand and almost as if silently _ordering _Yami with a mere flick of his wrist.

And slowly, Yami turned around.

There was dead silence.

"Yami," Griffin said softly, letting his eyes flicker to the onlookers. "Tell them _who _you live for now."

There weren't even any gasps, any cries of anger or shock, not even a murmur of dread. Nothing.

Yugi stopped breathing altogether.

"Yami…" He whispered, breaking the silence.

His beautiful Dark stood there, finally facing his friends. But…he was different.

He was still rooted to the spot, standing there beside Griffin, frozen like a statue. But now…all could see his once vivid cerise eyes were blank and invaded around the irises by a blackness that continuously threatened to take over entirely.

It was the expressionless stare of an imprisoning trance…and the result of the now sealed spell permanently cast of Yami.

"What did you do?" Yugi whispered, stunned.

Griffin smiled, casting victorious green eyes onto the other. "I won my fair Prince. And you, _Hikari_, have well and truly lost."

Yugi stared in horror at him.

Griffin's smile widened.

"He's mine now." Griffin stated.

Leo's azure blue magics flared from his Staff, struggling to control his growing anger. "You goddamn bastard…"

"Now, now," Griffin said derisively. "Language Eclipse, there are children present." He chuckled manically. "Oh I'm sorry, I meant Leo."

"Give him back," Leo ordered again. "I'm warning you Griffin -"

The other laughed mockingly. "You are no match for me now Eclipse, even with all the magics of your reincarnated life, you cannot take on my power. You don't stand a chance, especially with your weakened form." He grinned darkly. "_And you know it_."

If Leo was nervous, it didn't show.

Griffin smiled victoriously. "How does it feel, Eclipse? How does it feel to _lose_?"

Leo glared back at him levelly. "I never lose."

Yugi snapped.

"What did you do to him!" Yugi demanded. He gripped the Light mirrored half of the Millennium Puzzle around his neck, already having the Sennen Eye blazing on his forehead in anger.

"Only what he brought onto himself," Griffin stated. "He fell for me, and now he belongs to me. His life, his soul, his body - it's all mine." His eyes glinted with a black flash again as he grinned sweetly. "And what a lovely body he has…don't you think?"

Yugi felt his heart tearing to ribbons as Griffin ran a palm over Yami's chest before drawing the unresisting Yami into another kiss. His Dark didn't even trying to stop him as Griffin possessively cupped Yami's cheek in a hand, defiantly bringing his lips to his own…

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch the soul-searing image.

He couldn't watch. He just couldn't. Even after everything that happened, he still loved Yami. He still loved him more then the world.

Something clicked in Yugi's mind.

And if all the blackness around them was a spell…that would mean… there's another power at work here, Griffin's power…

_Wait? This ancient, unbeatable power around us is Griffin's?_

Yugi closed his eyes, trying to work it out. But without knowing what this new power was, he had no idea how to deal with it. Despite all of that, Yugi still _knew_, knew that he loved Yami and Griffin had been manipulating them both somehow.

He opened his eyes, staring in revulsion at the scene.

_His _Yami in Griffin's arms. _His _beautiful Yami. _His _beloved Yami, possessed by…_him_.

Griffin laughed maliciously, enjoying tormenting Yugi with the unresisting kisses.

Griffin laughed again, once more making Yami look at his Hikari with those blank, expressionless eyes of someone locked completely under the influence of a paralysing and controlling spell.

"STOP IT!" Yugi cried out, unable to take it anymore. Tears welled in his eyes again as he surged forwards, trying to run to Yami like he had been wanting to do all through the earlier fight.

"No don't!" Yue said, quickly lowering his weapon to catch his arm.

"Yami! Don't let him do this to you! Please! YAMI!" Yugi cried, before being wrenched back just before the force-field gathered, ready to blast Yugi painfully back into his friends again.

Gasps ensued at the action, but only one noticed the flicker, and only one saw the flaw.

* * *

There it was again…that same sound…it meant something…something …good…nice…something good and nice, very nice…and good.

Something…

No.

Some_one_…

That voice…he knew that voice…trusted that voice…loved that voice… it was the voice of the person he loved…

He'd heard it before.

Not long ago, but the memory felt so distant.

But at that time, the voice had sounded…uncertain… frightened…but now…now was different.

It sounded…scared. Frightened…terrified about something…but what?

But the fact remained…he _knew _that voice.

* * *

Yugi blinked, all anger and fear suddenly dissipating.

There had been a flicker in Yami's scarily clear eyes. The vacant cerise had altered slightly. It was only momentary…but it had definitely been there.

Yugi stared.

And Leo smiled.

"Has anyone ever told you 'patience is a virtue' Griffin?" Leo asked innocently, facing off with the enemy defiantly.

Griffin faltered, taken off-guard at the odd question. "What?"

"I guess not," Yue said calmly, catching his lover's drift in an instant. "You do come across as the impatient type."

Griffin was visibly haunted by the change in tact, but was trying his best not to let it show - and was failing miserably. Unconsciously he slipped an arm around Yami's waist, gripping him from behind, bracing for anything the enemy of old may pull.

"What're you talking about?" He demanded.

Leo smiled. "Your impatience has cost you dearly."

Griffin glared at him, once more sparked off at Leo's audacity. "You dare mock me?"

"Why not? Everything else about you is flawed - even this magic you claim you have mastered." Leo met his gaze evenly. "Your impatience has caused your spell to seal…but seal _unfinished_."

Griffin hesitated, but quickly recovered enough to get angry at Leo again. "What are you talking about?"

Leo's gaze flitted to Yami. "He's aware."

* * *

As if gazing out from under water, Yami gazed, gradually gathering back pieces of what had happened.

Something in his eyes flickered again.

There had been sounds, sounds all around him. He had heard them, heard them getting clearer and clearer. And they were…familiar. Gradually, he worked out what they had been saying…no, not saying, arguing. Sort of. They had been battling with words.

Why?

He knew the voices. They were people he knew, friends, even one he knew was closer then a friend. A soft male voice, a voice that was soft but sweet and carried a childlike innocence in it despite his age…

_Yugi…_

The thought flitted into his mind, unlocking yet more information that had been forcefully suppressed.

Yugi. Yes, Yugi. He knew that name. That person, and he was…he was…boyfriend. Yes! Yugi was his boyfriend!

That's it!

_Wait…we were fighting…_

Thoughts turned to memories, memories that had be locked away from him himself in his own mind. And gradually, it all fell into place.

Pieces fell into place, the puzzle gradually something together…and they as if Yami took a step back…he saw the whole picture.

And then Yami knew.

He knew everything.

* * *

"Yami," Yugi said anxiously. "Yami it's me. Can you hear me?"

Finally the cloudiness cleared, but only so far.

Yami blinked. He focused on the voice first, trying to take in in what had happened in the last few minutes that he had missed.

He found himself standing beside Griffin with all his friends in front of him, including the formerly missing Leo and Yue.

They were all armed with magic and weapons…and they looked so uneasy…why?

Yami remembered the voice again, finally realising it was Yugi. He looked at his lovely little Hikari - and blinked again.

Yugi looked…scared.

Across from him, Yugi saw the clarity return to Yami, now fully aware of everything around him. He also noticed the look of confusion enter his eyes. And then…

Yugi bit his lip. Yami's eyes changed in expression. Changing to…

Yugi's heart tore.

…changing to fear.

Yami knew he was completely in control of Griffin.

"He's aware." Leo said again. He glared fiercely at Griffin. "You sealed the spell too early and without his will; now Yami knows _exactly _what's happening. You've lost your control over him, you only control his body now. Your magic is _flawed_."

Griffin growled lowly, throwing one last glare at Leo before viciously grabbing Yami's shoulder and making him face him.

Yami looked at him, freaked out at just how close he was to Griffin yet again, and now, scarily unable to move his own body.

He was locked inside himself. And there was no way he could defend himself as a result.

Suddenly Griffin smiled.

It was one of those evil smiles a fox would give a cute little white bunny when it's cornered and scared and unable to do a thing to save itself from its inevitable fate.

"No matter," Griffin said, gently raising a hand to caress Yami's cheek again, almost lovingly tilting his chin up. He laughed softly. "This could be even more fun." He lowered his voice so only Yami could hear. "It'll makes things more interesting when I finally have you, little Prince."

Yami's stared at him; getting more and more scared as the seconds ticked by. He could see a whole lot more then mere lust in those green eyes…

Yugi felt Leo's hand on his shoulder, holding him back before Yugi could run into the shield again in blind desire to get to his beloved Dark.

More gasps echoed from everywhere as Griffin looked deeply into Yami eyes, completely ignoring the others for this one seemingly sweet moment.

"You don't remember me," Griffin asked casually, tilting Yami's face up to see him entirely. "Do you?"

He watched Yami's eyes flicker uncertainly, glancing out the corner, trying to see Yugi side-on, despite his inability to use his body. The nervousness was clear in Yami's eyes, as was the longing to be at Yugi's side then trapped inside himself and completely at the mercy of this psycho before him.

Griffin also saw Yami blink, a flash of pain flitting through his eyes for a split-second.

"Ah yes," Griffin said in realisation. "The headache, I almost forgot."

Across from them, Yugi only just managed to hold back another gasp. The headache had been real…Yami had never lied about that… Yugi had gotten it so wrong and so doubted his Dark's integrity…

Griffin caressed Yami's cheek again.

"I'm sorry, my love," He said sickeningly adoringly. "I had to give it to you. I had to stop that little Light of yours stealing you away from me again with your little telepathy thing between you. And of course…I couldn't let you remember me just yet." He chuckled softly. "That would just spoil my fun."

Over Yugi, Leo and Yue exchanged worried glances, once more aiming weapons and magic unforgivingly at Griffin. They knew they couldn't possibly stop this, but they weren't going to give up. And that just worried them more.

Meanwhile, Yugi stared. He watched in horrified fascination as Griffin idly passed a hand before Yami's face, offering a momentary shimmer of the same black light of before.

He stared some more. Only this time out of pure confusion.

Yami's breathing had suddenly changed. It was suddenly fast, erratic and laboured.

Almost like…_panic_-breathing…

Griffin chuckled seeing something in Yami's eyes that the others couldn't see at that moment.

"You do remember me," Griffin said sweetly. He looked over Yami again, stepping back to fully leer at the defenseless Yami in full. "My, you are different though. After all when I knew you, you looked a lot like… this."

Griffin waved a hand generally over Yami's form. In a shimmer of black light, Yami's regular school uniform was gone, and replaced with white cotton lined with gold Egyptian Royal dress kilt, complete with golden crown headdress inset with the Sennen Eye resting at his forehead, golden wrist and arm cuffs and multicoloured glass collar resting around Yami's neck and lightly over his bare chest.

Yugi's jaw dropped in final, undoubted realisation.

"Oh my god…" He whispered, hearing all his friends save for Leo and Yue saying the same behind him.

Griffin smiled at Yami, looking into suddenly terrified-to-the-core crimson eyes. "And when I knew you," He said softly. "You didn't go by Yami, did you?…_Prince Atem_?"

Yugi could sense the fear. It was so strong, it was hard to miss. It wasn't just fear…it was terror, Yami was scared to death of Griffin for some inexplicable reason…and he was currently under his complete control, with no way of breaking free and no chance his friends could get to him.

As Griffin released Yami from his grip, turning him around to let Yugi see him again, intending to torment the Hikari more and more.

Yugi blinked away tears, trying to be strong as Yami locked onto his amethyst eyes with his own pleading ones - pleading silently for help. Yami was terrified, truly scared out his mind…

Yugi felt his spirit shatter just seeing Yami like that. He had never seen his Dark so scared before. And it looked like a fear that had been there dormant for a long, long time…and now unleashed once more.

His Dark was visibly shaking, trembling with fear at what was happening. He was terrified of being under Griffin's control, as well as just being in his general vicinity.

So Yami was gazing at Yugi in pure dread.

Yugi gazed back. Yami knew his fate, Yugi could see it in his eyes. He knew what was going to happen to him. And he was desperately trying to tell Yugi what it was - and tell him just how scared he felt in that moment…

But he couldn't. Griffin controlled his body and everything that when with it - his movement, even his voice. The only things Yami had been able to fight enough to keep was his heart, his mind and his eyes.

"Now, my Prince," Griffin said catching his hand and pulling him towards him. "It's time to go."

"No!" Sakura suddenly cried out. "You can't take him!"

Griffin looked at her, finally acknowledging just how many onlookers he had been ignoring. He chuckled softly.

"So many friends you have Prince Atem, just like before," Griffin taunted casting his gaze over them. "And just like before…none of them can stop me."

Sudden anxiety was coursing through the group. The ancient power was still all around them, and Griffin had sounded so calm as he spoke…they didn't know what to think anymore.

But none were about to let Griffin steal Yami away from Yugi.

The power around them densing further, already being summoned once more.

"Where're you taking him!" Yugi demanded.

Griffin's eyes darkened as they settled on Yugi again. "Don't worry Hikari, I _will _be back for you." His voice lowered murderously, his eyes flashing with pure, unadulterated hatred. "You will pay dearly for enjoying my Prince. Especially that pretty face of yours."

Instantly, all who could, brandished their weapons and magics menacingly. Griffin laughed at their collective power.

"Even pooling your magics won't even come close to what I can do, _children_." Griffin said derisively. "Face me, and I guarantee you a long and painful death."

His gaze flitted to Leo and Yue again.

Griffin smiled. "I'll be back for you too Eclipse, and this time, I'll make sure you die. Along with your _pretty _little lover." His eyes blazed further, focussing on Yue. "Luna must pay her dues too. She must pay dearly for her actions."

"She did nothing." Leo stated firmly. "You brought this upon yourself."

"No!" Griffin snapped. "It was her! She changed everything! _And you let her_!"

"He doesn't love you," Leo said again. "Atem has never cared for you. Me and Luna had nothing to do with your downfall. Look at Yami now; he is _afraid _of you."

Griffin glared steadily at Leo. "He will learn."

Yue was generally composed all the time, so anyone could just imagine how angry he was getting right then. When it came down to it, his temper could potentially be more lethal them Leo's, which, was almost reaching breaking point.

"You cannot do this." Yue said. "You're changing the balance; you'll destroy us all."

The blackness densing further around them.

"So be it." Griffin stated.

Yue and Leo's magical weapons were back in place in a flash.

"You are _not _taking him." Leo stated, his Staff already glowing with azure blue magics.

Griffin laughed mockingly again. "On the contrary, Eclipse," He grinned. "Who's going to stop me? You?"

The group tightened even further together, second line of defence coming up to join Yue and Leo for the final confrontation.

But it didn't matter anyway. The ancient power couldn't be matched.

Not even caring about the threat anymore, Griffin pulled Yami roughly into his arms, and the blackness of the ancient power rose all around them in a black tide.

"Yami!" Yugi cried, trying to see his Dark as the magics surrounded him.

But it was no use.

All Yugi saw was the one last glance into terrified, half blackened cerise eyes…before Yami vanished into the darkness without a trace.

"Yami! Yami come back!" Yugi yelled into the blackness, fighting against Joey and Seto trying to hold him back from the dangerous force-field. "No! YAMI! GIVE HIM BACK!"

"Look out!" Tea called out suddenly.

The three boys looked up in shock, just in time to see a cluster of sliver-white moon arrows encircled with blue elemental magics swirling around it soar into the black tide - and be repelled right back.

Gasps and shocked cries erupted in all directions as a mesh of elemental and moon magics scattered on impact, too weak to contend with the sheer power of this ancient magic.

"Sakura! Sis!" Leo shouted, collapsing into his boyfriend's arms, too weak to form another attack.

Instantly more magical energy blasted into the black wall, two columns merging into one almighty flare - this was golden Star magics.

"It's not working!" Joey yelled.

It was true, the magics were just bouncing away to scatter back from whenst it came, unused and not even causing so much as a dent in the force-field or ancient magics.

"The Elements!" Sakura exclaimed.

Almost instantly the continuous stream of golden star magics was coupled with four new colours of the other four elements possessed by Sakura and Krysta, and then shadow magic of Bakura's Ring was added along with the remaining power from Yue and Leo… and finally the unconditional power of Yugi's Light magic of the Light half of the Millennium Puzzle completed the magical pool

It was all in vain.

All quickly tired and the magical stream that could easily level half the world was stunted in it's prime. The power crumbled, unable to be sustained any longer. The power dispersed, unused back to its various sources.

And the blackness reigned triumphant for another few seconds, before finally vanishing back to the serene evening.

All that was left was the small pool of tears Yami had shed earlier; the last reminder to Yugi, that all his Dark had said, had all been pure truth.

Yami had been in danger all along and Yugi didn't even know it.

* * *

Note – God, this is along chapter isn't it? 


	26. History Past

Note – Woo! Another chapter up! And I've only got ten minutes till my compy breaks down again! …wait, that's not good…

Seriously, sorry for anyone assuming I'm updating everyday, cos I definitely would if my laptop was working properly, but u know computers…they generally suck when they're not doing what they're told. So you're all gonna have to settle for updates every three/four days instead! Sorry!

Note 2 – WHOA! I have a new record for the longest review ever! And it goes to…drum roll please…Divine Seraphim! YAY! I love your reviews! They make me so happy! And you always pick up on the points I'm trying to get across! DOUBLE YAY!

Note 3 – People, PEOPLE! Get a grip! I already got one hyperventilating, next thing I'll have is one having a heart attack! Now you all need to calm yourselves and concentrate on this chappie and the next one okay? And stay calm!

* * *

Chapter 26 – History Past

Leo closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain as he forced himself to stand up despite all his body's protests, and every one of the teenagers surrounding him.

"Leo, you're bleeding!" Sakura cried, scared for his life at the mere sight of blood.

"I'm fine," Leo stated.

"But you're bleeding everywhere!" Tea exclaimed hysterically, just as freaked out.

Quickly, Leo caught the two girls' hands and looked at them. "Put it this way, if I was any other person, I'd be dead right now, and not just livid."

"Leo you have to sit down." Yue said anxiously. "You're still very hurt."

"It's better then being dead." Leo thought for a moment. "I assume."

Mildly glaring at his naturally rebellious lover, Yue half-fought his boyfriend into a chair before he collapsed from lack of magical energy as well as blood-loss.

"What happened to you?" Krysta asked anxiously, also trying to fight back her big brother's protests to dress the numerous wounds.

"Griffin tried to kill me." Leo said, finally giving up.

Despite everything, Krysta glared at her brother. "Okay stating the obvious really isn't helping right now."

"Seriously Leo," Sakura said glaring at him too.

"I am serious," Leo said, wincing at the pain. "Griffin tried to kill me, and almost succeeded. God, everything hurts. I can't believe he almost killed me."

"But why?" Yugi pressed, carefully avoiding looking at all the now-drying blood and also wondering just _how _Leo was still alive in the first place. "Why does he hate you and Yue? Why has he taken Yami? Griffin knows Yami's past name, and yours and Yue's too. Who is he?"

Leo's seethed quietly, pressing a cloth to the last of the open wounds to stem the bleeding.

"He's the goddamn bastard who stabbed me four times and shattered my sword."

Seto frowned. "Your blue jade swords? The invincible jade swords?"

Leo glared at no one in particular, taking on a slightly bitter tone. "Yes, my _invincible _jade swords - he shattered one before my eyes. My favourite weapons and he broke one. Bloody little -" He noticed Sakura and Mokuba were still in the room as well as his little sister. "Brat."

"He's more powerful then you?" Tea asked in disbelief.

Leo nodded gravely. "More powerful then all of us combined as you just saw."

"Then how come he didn't kill you?" Ryou asked.

"He almost did. I summoned a portal and escaped into another dimension with my last remaining magic," Leo told them, grateful for Yue's support. "It was the only thing I could do. I escaped to a plane where time was faster so I could heal enough to get enough energy to get back again. Trust me, I was hurt a lot worse then this."

Krysta glanced at the moon guardian. "So that explains Leo being missing all day, but what about you?"

"Leo took me with him." Yue said simply.

"He did?" Yugi said, startled.

"I was just as surprised. You try being magicked away in the middle of the night."

"Griffin was going to kill him," Leo told them, standing up to hold Yue protectively closer despite knowing they were pretty safe at the moment. "He was going to kill Yue for something that happened forever ago but he still holds one hell of a grudge."

There was silence, all thinking about this terrifying revelation. If Griffin really was more powerful then Leo…what chance was there of getting Yami back? Was there even one? If Griffin's power couldn't be matched, it didn't seem all that likely anymore.

Yugi bit his lip, looking up at Leo anxiously. "Leo, what's going on? You know what's happening, don't you?"

There was sudden silence. All knew the explanation wasn't going to be anything like they ever anticipated - because no one _ever _beat Leo in a magical fight. Above absolutely everything, including his incredible skill as a master swordsman; he was the most powerful force in the living room, and most likely the rest of the world.

Leo felt Yue's arms slip around his waist, offering comfort as well as support as he struggled not to collapse he felt so weak.

"Lover…they need to know." Yue said softly. "Our power is no match for Griffin alone, he has to know."

Leo's gaze slipped from Yue to Yugi.

"We're ancient enemies," Leo told him finally. "He hates me, I hate him. It's been that way ever since we met."

The air of apprehension deepened ominously.

"Why?" Yugi asked almost inaudibly.

Leo and Yue exchanged glances again, then glanced back at Yugi.

"Griffin isn't who you think he is." Leo said softly.

"Who is he then?" Ryou asked.

"More evil then you could ever imagine."

Seto looked at him as stunned stares settled on Leo. "He's from Ancient Egypt, isn't he?" He said softly. "He knew Yami's title, even the name he doesn't like. No one has called Yami 'Prince Atem' in thousands of years. And anyone who's dared called him that recently are currently missing their spleens."

Leo nodded. "Yes, they knew each other before from ancient Egypt, only…when they knew each other, you weren't part of the Temple Court yet. He was before your time Seto."

Yugi looked up at him searchingly. "Why does he want Yami?"

Leo closed his eyes. "Griffin thinks he's in love with Yami."

"What do you mean 'thinks'?" Krysta asked dreading the answer.

Leo smiled ironically. "You've seen Yami. He's incredible to look at. He's the type of exotic beauty people would kill to have for their own," He kept his gaze on Yugi. "And if it comes down to it, Griffin will,"

"He wants to kill me," Yugi said softly, biting his lip again. "He's resentful Yami loves me isn't it?"

"I'd say murderously jealous. He hates the fact Yami loves you and hasn't given him a second thought in all that time. Plus, I'm guessing he hates that you're prettier then him too." Leo remarked. He glanced at Seto. "And you're only half right about him, technically Griffin's not Egyptian, but he is from that time."

"So if Griffin's from ancient times," Ryou said. "Why is he here now? I mean why _right _now?"

"He told me he only just managed to create another body," Leo told them. "He pretty much told me everything while he was trying to kill me. Griffin only just managed to gain another body to re-enter the mortal world. He's technically still dead, but now he's unlocked power to overcome that little problem."

"So he is dead?" Sakura asked, feeling relieved, but not quite sure why.

Leo nodded. "He's dead alright. And Griffin's older then he looks, he died aged nineteen. He's a lot older then Yami is, or was too."

"I knew I'd seen him before." Bakura said suddenly.

Everyone looked at him, taken aback. Bakura hadn't yet said a word on the goings on, but has been listening intently to every word said.

But Leo smiled. "That doesn't surprise me."

Bakura grinned despite absolutely everything. "Aww, you're so sweet to me. Even if you've tried to kill me numerous times in your past life."

"YOU _know _Griffin?" Joey practically shouted. "How?"

Bakura shrugged dismissively. "If you steal from high class people, you tend to hear a lot. Nobles like to gossip, it's a job trying to get them to shut up. I saw him a few times when I was out and about too." He glanced at Leo. "Wasn't he from that disgraced Persian family?"

Leo nodded silently, suddenly staring into space.

"Leo?" Yue called softly.

The other blinked, looking at his lover, startled. "Huh?"

"Are you alright?"

Leo gave him a _look _that just screamed 'are-you-seriously-asking-me-that-right-now?' - and Yue blushed.

"Aside from almost being dead." He added.

Leo gave him a soft smile. "It's his memories," He said quietly. "Eclipse's life was so far from tranquil. All of ours were. You're lucky you don't remember being Luna." He sighed sadly, his voice lowering to a whisper. "Or just or how short their lives were."

Yugi stared at him, getting more and more lost. He watched in rising dread as Leo kneeled down to him, locking eyes. He just looked so physically hurt, Yugi just couldn't imagine what could have defeated Leo so severely like this. Leo was always so strong, so powerful, always able to overcome everything to make sure all he cared about was safe.

Leo defeated…? It just wasn't possible…really wasn't physically possible…

Yugi bit his lip, looking into the other's eyes, now level to him.

"Why?" Leo whispered. "Why did you do it?"

Yugi shook his head slowly, still completely in the dark. "I don't understand…"

"Yami always loved you." Leo said softly. "It's always been you Yugi. Just you."

Yugi's breath caught, suddenly feeling extremely haunted. "What do you mean?" He whispered.

Leo shook his head sadly. "As long as you loved Yami, he was safe from Griffin. The moment you doubted him, the moment your love tainted - that was it. Yami was vulnerable."

Yugi's heart pounded as he took this in. it was beginning to make sense - only it was the sort of sense that made you want to kill yourself.

"No…" He whispered, backing away.

Tears were already filling those crystalline amethyst eyes.

Leo caught his hand, pulling him back. "I know this hard Yugi, but you need to understand."

"I did this," Yugi choked out, unable to stop the tears falling. "It was me…it was all me, wasn't it?"

"Griffin has power, and he also has intelligence and is the most evil person I've ever crossed paths with. It's a dangerous combination to say the least." Leo told him compassionately. "He can manipulate people, he has being doing it all his life. He wanted Yami and he used everyone in his way to steal him…that meant you."

Yugi stared. All the previous thoughts were rushing through his mind at a million miles an hour. Yami's headache, the way he was always thinking about Griffin, the reason why everything kept on getting in the way for them being together ever since Griffin had shown up…

"He did it," Leo told him softly. "He did it all. He manipulated you into doubting Yami, he made you think he was being unfaithful and make the bond between you break. It was the only way his spell could work. One willing kiss was all that was needed to seal the spell and Yami could never break free again."

Something devastating struck Yugi. His eyes flitted to Seto and Joey almost in absolute dread of what they might say.

"What were you going to tell me?" He half-whispered.

Joey bit his lip, visibly hating himself for saying it. "What you saw wasn't Griffin and Yami making out…Griffin was forcing Yami into it,"

It was too much. Yugi pressed a hand over his moth, unable to stop the silent sobs convulsing through his body. The grief tore through him like wildfire.

Yami had been telling the truth all along. It hadn't been Yami who had wronged Yugi - it had been the other way around. Yugi hadn't believed his Dark's own words, hadn't bothered to even listen to his explanation… hadn't taken the time to see past his own misguided betrayal to see what Griffin was doing…

Yami had been telling the truth all along.

Yugi had driven Yami away and Griffin had been right there to steal him in an instant.

Close to hysteria, Yugi tried to back away again, sheer disgrace at his own blindness to his lover's danger striking him harder then a tonne of bricks.

Leo caught his shoulders quickly, forcing Yugi to look up at him. "Yugi!" He said sharply. "Don't do this, this is what Griffin wants. He knows you're the only reason Yami still lives for. Don't flip on us now."

Yugi shook his head, still too upset to even comprehend anything anymore.

"This is not your fault." Leo stated firmly. "Griffin is dangerous, he's smart and he's evil, that's enough to fool even the best of us. He used you to get Yami. He manipulates people and uses them like puppets to get what he wants. This is all his doing, do you understand?"

Yugi just stared, still too consumed with grief to think straight.

"Yugi!" Leo said sharply. "Do you understand?"

Yugi looked at him and finally nodded slowly.

"Say it," Leo ordered, tightening his grip on the other. "Say the words."

"I-I understand," Yugi whispered, clawing back his scattered mind. He took a deep breath, forcing all his anger, hurt and dread away. He looked up at Leo again, this time, a lot more determined. "You said you knew Griffin. How?"

Leo stood up again, grateful for his sister's help. "Yes, I knew him."

"Yeah, and he was a right evil bastard then too." Bakura said.

Everyone looked at him, once more collectively startled.

The former thief glared at them. "Look, I know a bastard when I see one, I used to be one too. But I was never an _evil _bastard, that's just plain wrong."

"Well you're right about you." Tea murmured.

"So he was Persian was he?" Seto said, ignoring them.

Leo nodded. His eyes darkened almost murderously.

"He was a Prince."

"WHAT?" Yelled a mesh of voices.

"Griffin was the Prince of Persia." Leo said again. "He was one of the Royal Family. But those people…" He shook his head, thinking back in disgust and sorrow. "That whole family, the entire dynasty…they rotten to the core. They were all so evil and cruel to others it should have been a crime against nature. They destroyed their own empire, reduced their own country and capital to rubble from lies told to the people to start their own civil war. The people trusted their Royalty, they had no reason not to. Back then, it was believed that in Royalty ran the blood of the gods themselves. They used that against them and destroyed their own people for their own gain. A once prosperous country was destroyed and erased from history entirely for centuries by the hands of the Royal Family they so respected."

He laughed mirthlessly.

"Griffin even _laughed _about it. Laughed at how easy it was to steal all the riches of the people once they had hacked each other to pieces over lies that their own Royalty had fed them…"

There was dead silence, all listening intently and all sickened to the core by Leo's words.

Leo closed his eyes, reliving those ancient memories once more. "They escaped their country when the people finally began to see what they had done. They fled to Egypt, knowing how great the empire was becoming. Back then money made everything okay, so Yami's father, the pharaoh before, allowed them to stay and awarded them noble status in exchange for some of their riches. They were rich only from their own people's blood, but that gave them status."

Leo sighed deeply, opening his eyes again to look at Yugi. "But it wasn't enough for Griffin. It was far from enough."

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, almost dreading to know.

"The first time I saw Griffin, he was being escorted to the Palace to meet with the pharaoh, along with an entire cartful of riches as a gift and payment for the new status as nobles," Leo told him. "That was the first time he saw Yami."

"What happened?" Seto prompted.

"I remember it was sunset," Leo said softly. "I was outside in the front courtyard with Yami and Shia. Mahado and I were watching them while they played with the other nobles' children." He looked away, hating himself for remembering what he saw. "Yami was thirteen years old, but he didn't act it." He smiled softly. "Before his soul was split and the Light half reincarnated into you Yugi, Yami was ruled by his Light side. He was so much like you you'd never believe he was the same person he is today. He was thirteen but he acted like a ten year old. He didn't even have a temper then. He was just a sweet, cute little kid."

Leo shook his head.

"That's what caught Griffin's attention. As beautiful as Yami is now, he was still the same as a child. Across the courtyard, Griffin turned and looked at us…and he centred on Yami."

He paused, remembering exactly what he had seen through the eyes of Eclipse.

"I just…I just remember the way he looked at him…that way he looked at Yami… it wasn't natural, it just couldn't possibly be any kind of love. The way Griffin looked at him…it was…lecherous. Ten times more sickening then the way a paedophile would look at a little girl. You couldn't even imagine what Griffin was thinking about just by looking at Yami."

Tea bit her lip. "What did he do to Yami?"

"Nothing yet, that was the first time Griffin saw him. The first moment he'd been hooked on Yami. That's when it all started." Leo continued. "Yami was the last official heir to the throne, so there was no way Griffin could get near him to court him, and me, Mahado and the guards weren't going to let him either. But as a noble, he had access to the Palace so Mahado nor I could stop him from getting close to Yami in his own home at every moment. As much as we tried, he still managed to get to him somehow. He even wanted me to teach him to sword fight just because Yami was my student too. Griffin didn't stop at anything to get his hands on Yami. Even if Yami didn't like it, he just wouldn't take no for an answer."

"So Yami didn't like Griffin back?" Yugi asked in relief.

Leo shook his head reassuringly. "Yami couldn't stand him. He hated the way Griffin looked at him, stared at him, basically everything about him creeped Yami out. He may have been a kid, but Yami was still smart, he knew _exactly _what Griffin wanted as well as I did and there was no way he was going to let Griffin have him."

"Hang on, if you saw Griffin as such a threat," Joey said. "Why didn't you just, I don't know, chuck him in the dungeons or something?"

Leo smiled. "I'd have loved to do that. I'd have loved to take my swords to his grinning face and slash him to ribbons, but I couldn't. He was rich, and he was a noble. They were seen as above the sacred law as the Royal Family was; that's what being rich was about in Ancient Egypt - it gave you the ability to do whatever the hell you wanted as long as you had the means to bribe whoever caught you."

"What did Griffin do then?" Sakura prompted. "Yami obviously didn't want to have anything to do with him right?"

"Right, but Griffin still wanted Yami, wanted him more then anything. So he went to the pharaoh a few weeks later and they made an agreement."

"What kind of agreement?" Joey asked.

"Griffin was technically a Prince. In ancient times the pharaoh was allowed to marry whoever he wanted, but a Prince could only marry a Princess or another Prince. It was stupid rule, but Griffin used it to his advantage." Leo told them. "So Griffin claimed that he had the right to ask for Yami for his own being the Prince of Persia. Not only that, he was also rich. Very rich. And the pharaoh wanted those riches. So in exchange for all his family's wealth, the pharaoh agreed he would give Yami to him."

Jaws dropped straight through the ground.

"WHAT?" Everyone chorused.

Leo looked at them. "Griffin and Yami were engaged."

* * *

Note – Okay, sorry, sorry, I had to leave it there, the plot's getting a little complicated now, so I just wanted to make sure you all catch up nicely – plus I haven't actually perfected the next part just yet (blushes faintly). Sorry again! You know you love me anyway!

Note 2 – Oh right…the swearing. I promise, I don't usually like swearing at all personally unless u get me REALLY mad; I just thought u couldn't really have Bakura not casually swearing, it would just never work. As for Leo…he generally doesn't like swearing in front of younger teens, only when he's talking about Griffin – he seriously is that low that he deserves it.

Note 2 – This and the next chapter are gonna be a little more Leo-heavy since he's the one with all the answers at the moment, so bear with me if you're waiting to see what happens to Yami and to get more angst action k?

Luv you people! Hugs all round from Nefertari!


	27. Conspiracy

Note 1 - Ah ha! AirbenderSora, I knew someone would come up with that! Actually this fic and 'Virtue' are not related, but since I knew a lot of you would notice that, I'm gonna add a line in near the end of this fic to explain that and link them anyway!

And to reiterate – Yami was thirteen at this time, he wasn't pharaoh yet, so he's Prince Atem remember? The pharaoh Leo's talking about is Yami's father. Like I said before, Yami knew Griffin before he was pharaoh and before anything to do with shadow magic ever came up.

Note 2 – Hehe, more long reviews, YAY! And I made Divine Seraphim fall out of her chair, hahaha! (meant in the nicest way possible of course…)

Note 3 – thanks for all the happy thoughts for my compy, but its still broken, I'm beginning to think it's my internet card, anywayz, sorry, updates are still gonna be delayed till I have money to get a new one.

Note 4 – Good on u people, all staying calm I see. But now you're gonna have to think a lot …sorry.

* * *

Chapter 27 – Conspiracy 

Jaws were dropping absolutely everywhere.

"You have got to be kidding." Seto stated firmly. "No one _ever _told me Yami had been engaged before. He never even told me when we were dating."

"Me neither," Yugi added, confused. "Why would Yami ever agree to do that?"

"He didn't," Leo told them. "Yami didn't know until the next day, neither did I. And take it from me; Yami wasn't too pleased about it. That was also how he got his world-famous temper and lost his childlike innocence all in one day. He was furious at the engagement. So was I and practically everyone else in the Palace right down to the servants. No one wanted to see Yami married to him; god knows what would've happened to him. Everyone just knew Griffin was pure evil. And Yami didn't like Griffin at all, there was no way the relationship could ever grow into love. He hated the way Griffin constantly plagued his life just to leer at him."

"But just knowing what Griffin was like -" Ryou started, stunned.

"How could the pharaoh even let his only son marry that psycho?" Krysta finished, just as shocked.

Leo smiled. "Don't even try to discredit the pharaoh, kids. Yami's father was a good pharaoh, he was fair and just and made Egypt great in his reign."

Seto held up a hand suddenly. "Wait a minute, this is all relevant stuff, but you still haven't told us why Griffin tried to kill you and Yue."

"That's true," Bakura said, mildly interested. "If you were always so nice and whatever, what the hell did you do to piss him off?"

Leo threw a harsh death glare at Bakura for his bad language in front of his sister and younger listeners, making him instantly back down despite himself.

After quelling Bakura, Leo fell silent, exchanging knowing glances with Yue once more.

"You have to tell them," Yue said softly, tightening his arms around his lover comfortingly. "It's not like you can leave it out. They will have to know eventually."

Leo sighed. "I know."

"Know what?" Yugi pressed, desperate to know everything he was up against, including the entire back story to go with it.

Leo looked at all the younger teenagers. "You'll never believe me."

"Well you've got us all believing you right now," Mokuba pointed out.

"It's a plot that was drawn up thousands of years ago." Leo tried.

Seto folded his arms across his chest defiantly. "Spill."

"Now," Joey added.

Leo sighed again, looking at them all as they questioned down, listening intently fro the rest of the story.

"Aside from the pact between Griffin and the pharaoh, I had made a promise to the pharaoh too." He smiled, slightly cunningly. "It was that promise that made basis for the agreement with Griffin."

"Wait, you made a pact too?" Sakura asked, getting confused already.

Leo nodded. "Yes, I made a promise to him a week before I'd even known Griffin."

Seto frowned. "What kind of promise?"

Leo silenced again, grateful to have Yue beside him as the memories from millennia ago dredged up once more.

"Yami was so young," Leo said softly. "He was so innocent; he had no idea the scale of what he would face in the coming years. All the prophesies foretold of the sacrifice he would have to make as the next pharaoh, that he would have to give up his life, his devotion for Seto, everything just to save the whole world…he was just so young…"

Leo stared into space.

"That life was never meant for him."

Yugi gazed at him. "Then who was it meant for?"

Leo glanced at him for a long moment before answering.

"It was meant for me."

* * *

Yet again, jaws were scraping against the floor. The revelations just kept on coming. 

"What do you mean?" Seto asked softly, the first to find his voice again.

Leo sighed, closing his eyes. "It was one of the few dark and stormy nights when the pharaoh summoned me, about a week before Griffin fled to Egypt. I had only just turned twenty-five." He felt Yue grasp his hand reassuringly. "The reason the pharaoh had called for me was because there was something about him that he couldn't keep a secret much longer. He was old and extremely sick; he was dying. He knew he wouldn't live even until the next harvest."

"So he called you to make a deal because he knew he was going to die?" Joey asked.

"Yes," Leo replied. "He knew he was going to die soon, and he knew also knew what his son was like." He shook his head. "Yami was a child; he wasn't ready to take over. Unlike other pharaohs, his father really did care about him, and not just because he was the last heir. The pharaoh was a good man; he'd wanted Yami to have a life, have a childhood before he was thrown into the responsibility of taking care of an entire nation. He had no idea how sick he was until that night, so Yami hadn't been trained to take over yet. Yami was so far from ready to take care of Egypt." Leo took a deep breath. "So the pharaoh called me and offered me a deal. I was a Prince the same as Yami, but we were cousins, so technically, I was second in line for the throne and Shia was after me as the third Prince - that's what the pharaoh wanted to make the deal about."

Leo smiled seeing the confusion circling the room; they all had no idea how many twists this plot had just yet.

"Yami wasn't ready to run the kingdom and become pharaoh yet, but I'd spent most of my life in warrior combat training and had led the armies alongside the pharaoh many times, as well as been Yami and Shia's protector since they were born." Leo continued. "So the pharaoh asked me to promise, that on his death, Yami would be spared until his eighteenth birthday and in his place…I'd become the next pharaoh."

There was dead, shocked silence.

"You…you…seriously, _you_?" Tea murmured.

"You're kidding…" Joey murmured.

Leo chuckled softly. "That's what I thought when he mentioned it. I was no pharaoh; I never wanted to do that. I only ever lived to take care of Yami and teach him to defend himself." He sighed again. "But the pharaoh knew he was sick and knew Yami was just too inexperienced, he would just be taken advantage of by the grand viziers. And they were all renowned to be against the monarchy unless they were controlling of it. All grand viziers are just evil in general; Yami wouldn't have a chance the way he was then."

"Why did no one tell me this when I became High Priest?" Seto asked, a little irritated he hadn't been let in on the age-old plot.

"Like I said, this all took place before you knew Yami, Seto. It was before your time at the Palace, and before anything to do with Shadow Games ever came to pass."

"So you agreed to this deal?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "You promised to be pharaoh if the current one died before Yami was eighteen?"

"I didn't really have a choice," Leo told them. "The news of the pharaoh's ill-health had already begun to leak and several attempts already been made to get close enough to Yami to harm him. The kid was already a target and the pharaoh didn't want anything to happen to Yami. He knew I could take care of everything until he was old enough to take over again. We were family, he trusted me enough to know I would return the throne once Yami was trained and old enough to take over as the rightful heir. It made sense to agree. So the promise was made and Yami never even knew about it. He still doesn't."

"So what does this have to do with Griffin?" Yugi asked, trying to keep up. "If you made a deal to take the throne when the last pharaoh died and to keep Yami safe until he was older…where does the agreement with Griffin come in?"

Leo smiled suddenly, laughing softly as he glanced at all the teenagers and then back at Yue in total adoration.

"Like I said before," Leo said. "Yami's father was no fool. The pharaoh was smart, _very _smart. He knew what Griffin and his family had done to Persia, and that Griffin was the evillest of the bunch; so there was no way he was _ever _going to give his son and only blood to one of them, let alone let Griffin into the Royal family only to destroy Egypt the way they had destroyed their own land."

Leo sighed, still looking at Yue, who was now gazing back, trying to figure out what the other was thinking - he hadn't heard this part either.

"Griffin had also heard about the promise I'd made to the pharaoh in the next weeks that he spent trying to win Yami's affections," Leo continued. He smiled suddenly. "But what he _didn't _know and what the pharaoh _knew_, was that I'd never keep to my promise. He knew I would break the pact before the promise could be fulfilled anyway. He saw it way before Eclipse did."

"Saw what?" Ryou asked.

Leo touched Yue's face lovingly. "Eclipse and Luna were in love. He didn't even realise it himself until after the pact was made. But the pharaoh had seen it coming well before I did." He sighed. "I'd only just met her a few days back and I liked her, but I never imagined… I never thought I'd fall so hard for her."

Yue smiled softly as Leo lightly touched his cheek.

"I fell in love with her, so in love with her, I wanted to make her my wife. But the fact still remained. She was the High Priestess and I was a Prince, we had no right to get married, it was against the sacred laws. A Prince could only marry a Princess or another Prince."

Leo looked back at the teenagers, once more centring on Yugi.

"So, the pharaoh made the deal with Griffin knowing all of this. He made the deal that when he died and I became the next pharaoh, Griffin could have Yami providing he _stayed _a Prince and Griffin gave up _all _his riches and status. And, they couldn't be formally married until after the next harvest."

"Hang on," Tea said. "The only way Griffin could marry Yami was if he stayed a Prince?"

Leo nodded. "Right," He smiled, a slight mischievous shimmer enter his eyes. "But like I said, I never kept my promise."

Yugi looked up at him in sudden realisation. "But you _didn't _gain the throne, did you? And Yami still become pharaoh…hang on…"

Leo smiled and nodded. "I went back to the pharaoh and asked to renounce my prince-hood so I could secretly marry Luna, so even if the people found out there would be no grounds for dishonour, I was just another noble. I broke the pact the moment I asked to give up my title to get married."

The realisation swept across the teenagers in a tidal wave, hitting each and every one with perfect precision and glaring awareness at what had happened five thousand years ago.

"Yami's father knew!" Sakura said excitedly. "He knew you'd never keep the promise because he _knew _you and Luna had a thing going! And he told Griffin he could only have Yami if he never became pharaoh when his dad died!"

"Exactly," Leo stated. "I broke my promise and Yami _did _become pharaoh only a week later, having just turned fourteen. And since Griffin agreed couldn't marry Yami until after the harvest, the fact that the pharaoh died _before _the harvest meant the pact was still in play. The agreed engagement was annulled the moment Yami became pharaoh and Griffin had to surrender all his riches and status and he never got to have Yami."

Yugi shook his head, taking in the entire plot of what happened so many thousands of years ago.

"No wonder Griffin's so mad at you," He said softly. "If Luna never felt the same way, you wouldn't have given up your title and married her -"

"And then you'd be pharaoh and Yami would've stayed a Prince -" Krysta continued.

"And Griffin would've gotten to marry Yami -" Joey went on.

"And he'd probably have destroyed Egypt before I even became High Priest." Seto finished. "And had his sick way with Yami too."

Leo sighed.

"That's why we're ancient arch enemies. Me and Luna were the basis of Griffin's downfall. Along with all the general dislike too."

"Hmmm, I really should've given the old pharaoh more credit," Bakura said thoughtfully, having once more not said a word, but had been listening intently. "He really was one conniving old bast-"

"_Okay _Bakura," Ryou said cutting him off quickly.

"I was just saying."

Yue sighed. "No wonder he hates us so much. He hates me because I fell for you isn't it?"

"Yeah…if you never agreed to marry me, he'd have had Yami for his own and have ruled Egypt too. But, since that didn't happen, all the rest of the stuff happened instead. so now he's had five long millennia to seethe over an ancient plot." Leo chuckled softly seeing everyone's stunned faces as they took this in. "Sounds crazy doesn't it?"

"This is so far beyond crazy…" Mokuba said shaking his head.

"Oh my god…" Krysta murmured, stunned. "So that promise…so if you'd never fallen for Luna…_you'd _be the pharaoh…god, that's just nuts…"

"I totally see why Griffin's so insane now," Joey stated. "I mean, he was just majorly screwed over. No wonder he's so furious at you two. And now he has it in for Yugi too just because Yami's got the hots for him and not for Griffin."

"Yeah," Leo said gravely. "After everything happened and Yami was crown pharaoh, Griffin was left with nothing but bitterness and hatred, especially when Yami had the guards run him out of the immediate city as soon as he was crowned. So Griffin went off and committed suicide with one last declaration of revenge…" He took a deep breath. "And now, he's really back, he's really furious, he's really evil, and he's really powerful. And he's got Yami too."

"But he won't hurt Yami though will he?" Sakura pressed desperately. "I mean, Griffin still thinks he loves him, right?"

Leo looked at her for a long moment, seeing the innocently naïve teenage girl before him.

"No," He said eventually. "I don't think he'll harm him…physically…"

Yugi looked at him levelly, more determined then ever to know everything. "How did he return?"

Leo looked away.

"He sold his soul to the blackest heart of the universe."

Everyone stared at him.

Leo closed his eyes, wishing more then anything what he was saying wasn't true. "By committing suicide, he offered his poisoned soul to the blackest heart and Griffin spend five thousand years learning the key to unlocking the most powerful source of magic - _ever_."

Yugi looked up at him, biting his lip. "It's the blackness isn't it?"

Leo nodded. "Yes."

Silence fell again as they all stared at Leo as he finally opened his eyes again. Mostly because his eyes had begun to glow with an inner light. It was the mark of awakened magics. His power was ignited once more.

"Leo?" Yue said worriedly.

His lover looked at him reassuringly. "It's okay; she's telling me what you all need to know."

"Who?" Bakura asked, once more interested.

"The Fifth Element." Leo replied. "I'd summon her to talk to you herself, but that would probably kill me right now."

There was a resounding gulp through the group. They all knew what this meant; they'd only ever witnessed it a few rare times before though. The way they knew it, the power that Leo had wasn't just magic - actually it was just magic, but it was a magically entity…a being in itself. It was just pure magic of the Fifth Element, the half that was ruled by the Moon. This magic indeed had no actual form other then the azure blueness of a mountain lake whenever Leo invoked it, but when the time did arise when the Fifth Element needed to be summoned; she always appeared out of Leo in the form of a little girl.

The way the power sees it, all magic can take on any form, having no form itself, and usually taking the form of whatever the possessor imagines it to be. In Leo's case, he imagined her to be a little girl, an essence to be cared for and protected…much like a little sister.

"What's she saying?" Krysta asked, knowing not to argue at times like this.

Leo looked them over, seeing only anxious faces. "Are you ready for this?"

"What could you possibly tell us that isn't anymore unbelievable then everything else you just said?" Tea asked, genuinely curious.

"That Griffin has the ability to destroy worlds and for some reason he hasn't realised it, or possibly doesn't care because he's only used it to get Yami so far."

There was silence.

"He also has dangerously tipped the balance of evil and innocence by setting free only one side of the scales and now risks destroying us all unless the power is resealed back to whenst it came."

There was more silence.

Yugi finally broke it with nothing more then a whisper. "What is this power?"

There was a worried pause and then Leo broke it to them.

"Black magic."

* * *

Note – okay, I spent forever going over this chapter, and it makes total sense alright? Anyone who reviews and says otherwise is gonna make me mad. I've had this storyline in my head for ages and I promise it does make sense. I'll go over everything in the next chapter in an A/N note so that you get it completely and so no one bothers me about it either. 

Note 2 - I'm a uni student and i've done extensive research into myths and magic that i've used so far, but i hve to admit, i've made up a lot of it too to incorporate it into this fic, so no one go on about anything that isnt rally true. i remind you again, this is just a story.


	28. Conspiracy 2

Note – Sorry to anyone who's already read this part, I had to make it into a new chapter, there was a problem with posting such a long chapter in just one page.

* * *

Chapter 28 – Conspiracy 2

"Black Magic?" Joey repeated. "That's it? Ow!"

Bakura glared at him, suddenly and scarily, dead serious. "You wouldn't say that if you knew what Black Magic was."

Joey rubbed the shin where Bakura had kicked him, throwing him a glare. "But Black Magic's just that stuff witches use isn't it?"

"Witches?" Bakura scoffed. "Don't be stupid. Witches are just idiot people who think a lot of chanting and offering to gods is gonna get them power; they're just stupid people who don't have lives."

"As much has I hate to admit it, Bakura's right." Leo stated. "Magic isn't something you attain on your own, the Immortals pick and choose who to award power to, then you either earn it by some divine ruling that doesn't really have anything to do with you - like Yugi, or you're born with it like me, Sakura and Krysta. Magic can run in bloodlines or reincarnated spirits, but generally it picks who it wants to keep."

"Geez, you make it sound like magic is controlling us all," Joey commented.

"In a way it does."

The group chose to freak out about this later.

"So witches don't exist?" Sakura asked.

"No. They just like being generally weird. Its usually helpful not to tell them they're wasting time. It upsets them." Leo told her. "Magic isn't even controlled by the gods; magic was around before even they came into being. They just, sort of, regulate the power, but it was the Immortals that first harnessed magic. And don't ask me who they are, because I don't know and neither does my magic."

Leo ignored the stunned stares for more pressing matters.

"Anyway, there are seven types of major magics. There is Dark Magic like Bakura's and Yami's, also the opposite which is Light Magic like Yugi's. There's Celestial Magic like Yue's Moon magics, and Krysta and Sakura's Star Magics, there's the magic of the Four Elements which Sakura and Krysta have too and then there's the Fifth Element which deserves its own category because its power equals all the four elements combined."

"That's only five types," Ryou pointed out. "What's the other two?"

"The other two are the most powerful of all and all the other magics are derived from those two - White Magic and Black Magic. They were sealed away from the mortal worlds before even time was created, by the Immortals themselves. Have you ever seen the Yin-Yang symbol?"

There was a sea of nods.

"That's the seal of Black Magic against White Magic. When the magic was sealed away, it was sealed in total balance so that neither could escape and wreak havoc on the world again."

"What do you mean 'again'?" Tea asked apprehensively.

"Look," Leo said seriously. "Black Magic is the ultimate power aside from White Magic. It has unlimited power and it has no conscience other then the lust for blood. It only lives to wreak havoc and draw blood wherever possible. _All it thrives on is chaos_. And the best way to get chaos is to create slaughter everything and all that offer balance - namely everything with a pulse and blood to shed."

Leo rubbed his temples, feeling more and more defeated as the information on the power filled his mind more and more from his own magical source.

"Before everything existed as we know it, before even time was established, White and Black Magic had always been sealed together. Then when the first gods came into being, they tried to control the power and set it free to do so. The Egyptian gods had no idea the scale of which Black Magic could create chaos and they'd managed to only unseal one side of the Yin-Yang, the White Magic was still sealed. It was total devastation. Black Magic lives for nothing more then death and destruction, in the short time it was set free, it was carnage across worlds."

"Then what happened?" Ryou asked.

"The Immortals told the gods to release the White Magic to quell the Black, White always overcomes Black, and then they were once more sealed away again, and have been sealed up until now. White quells Black, and they're always sealed together."

"But now Griffin's released the Black Magics," Yugi said.

"Right," Leo agreed. "But it doesn't seem like Griffin even knows how powerful this magic is. He told me the magic has been teaching him how to invoke its power, but it just doesn't seem like Griffin has any idea the sheer scale of the power he's playing with just to get Yami back."

"Okay, this is gonna sound weird," Joey said. "But could this blackness have its own agenda?"

"Maybe," Leo said worriedly. "Magic are entities remember? And this one is the most powerful of all - and it knows that."

"Hmmm," Said another voice.

Yet again, all eyes turned to Bakura.

"The blackness in his eyes," He said to himself, ignoring them all. "I thought so…"

"What is it Bakura?" Seto snapped, anxious to know everything.

Bakura glared at him. "Griffin was coming onto Yami at break today. The weirdo took him to see a damn good fight that I was watching behind the school."

"At break?" Yugi asked, confused. "I thought he had detention."

Bakura shook his head. "Nope, Griffin took him there and was probably pouring his magic into him - Yami was watching the fight. And he was _enjoying _it. He actually _liked _watching that stupid senior getting the life beaten out of him. I thought I was the only one who liked that."

Yue glanced at Leo, already knowing what he was going to say. "The Black Magic's already poisoning him isn't it?"

Leo nodded. "Griffin must've been casting the spell on him then, trying to seal it before he had to take care of you. I'm betting Bakura interrupted them, right?"

Bakura grinned.

"See? I helped." He said proudly. "And you lot claim I'm evil. Compared to Griffin, I'm an angel."

"Well you do act evil," Tea shot back.

"Look just because I prefer violence over peace that does not make me evil."

"Will you give it a rest?" Seto said annoyed. "Yami's still in danger."

"So Griffin set free the Black Magic over the time he spent dead, and now he's using what he's learned to come back and steal Yami back didn't he?" Yugi said.

Leo nodded. "Just now was the final straw, he knew you'd see them and get the wrong idea without waiting for Yami to explain." Leo said, piecing it all together. "It was just another tactic to lure Yami away from you."

"So that spell…" Tea murmured.

"Was weaved to capture Yami's heart, mind and soul." Leo told them. "The only way Griffin could get Yami was if he was unprotected, but as long as Yugi loved him purely, he couldn't touch Yami. With that protection, Griffin could tempt Yami all he wanted but he'd never be able to steal a willing kiss. Outside, when Yami thought you didn't love him anymore; Griffin took the chance to poison him against you."

"But something went wrong didn't it?" Krysta said. "Griffin didn't control his heart or mind."

"No," Leo said. "Yugi caught him in time. For the spell to seal properly Yami had to be willing to go under it, that's why he was tearing Yugi and Yami apart and getting close to Yami all this time. He's been using his magic to suppress Yami's memory of him and make himself irresistible to Yami. All Griffin needed to seal the spell was one willing kiss. That was the crux."

"So all that time," Seto said. "All that time that Griffin was alone with Yami, he was trying to get Yami under his spell enough to seal it permanently?"

"Exactly."

"_I don't know what's wrong with me. I love Yugi, I really do. But every time I'm near Griffin - I can't explain it, it's like he's casting a spell over me. And then I forget Yugi in an instant and let myself get drawn into that situation like last night." _

Joey gasped sharply, the exact words of the pervious conversation flitting back into his head suddenly.

"No…" He whispered, his eyes widening in sudden, terrible realisation. "No, no, no! Dammit!"

"What is it?" Sakura asked, alarmed.

"He _told _me," Joey said pressing a hand to his head. "Oh god, he _actually _told me! He told me he felt like Griffin was casting a spell over him every time he was near!"

"When?" Yugi asked, urgently.

"Oh no…" Joey murmured. "It was in the morning, before registration, I confronted him about what was going on between him and Griffin - and he told me it was like something was drawing him to Griffin!"

"Joey calm down," Seto ordered. "Obviously he didn't know there was a spell on him, so chances are it was just a figure of speech."

"But -"

"Don't argue, or you'll be arguing with me."

Joey fell silent. In his defence, no one really wanted to get into an argument with Seto Kaiba. Things happened. Not the good sort of things. And usually to the other person. Plus Seto always won anyway.

"So what happened?" Ryou asked, getting back to the initial point. "Why didn't the spell work?"

"It did," Leo told them. "But it sealed wrong. Yami had to be entirely willing to do what Griffin wanted for the spell to work, but that one moment of hesitation when he heard Yugi's voice was enough to rethink what he was doing and use his own mind again. He managed to resist again, but Griffin was too impatient and sealed the spell anyway. Now Yami's trapped inside his own body, fully aware of everything that happens, but unable to move. Griffin controls his body now."

Yugi stared at the floor taking this all in. He felt numb. He felt like he was the same helpless little kid he was before he had even met Yami, unable to do anything remotely right.

And all the while the revelation had been coming, he'd been trying his best to be sensible…but it was just too hard.

And his heart was sinking further and further into complete desolation and frighteningly entering total breakdown territory.

"What will Griffin do to him?" Yugi asked softly, staring at the ground.

Leo sighed deeply. "I don't know."

"Where would Griffin take him?" Yugi pressed anxiously.

"My guess would be, he's forged a new dimension with Black Magic, knowing we can't break down the power and seal himself there with Yami."

"How long would that take?" Seto asked.

Leo shrugged, visibly hating Griffin for everything he had done to then all.

"He may already have created it. He could have trapped Yami there as we speak and already be doing things to -"

He cut himself of abruptly, seeing the look of rising dread on Yugi's beautiful face.

"How?" Yugi asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "How do I get him back?"

Suddenly looked a lot more defeated then even before…Leo slowly shook his head.

"I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't." He said softly. "None of us are powerful enough to defeat Griffin's power."

Yugi shook his head vigorously. "No…there has to be something, there has to be. There is always a way."

Leo desperately wanted to say there was, but it wasn't the truth. The way they were now…there just wasn't anyway to take on Griffin's magic and win.

With a heavy heart, Leo shook his head.

There was silence.

It seemed to be becoming a permanent fixture in the air. But this was a new type of silence. It was the silence of the ultimate surrender; there was nothing they could do, and with heavy hearts, they all knew it.

Yugi felt like someone had smashed the glass that was holding the sands of his life in his hourglass. He could feel the whole world drifting away into oblivion just knowing that this was it - this was the end of everything. Yami was his world, his life, his everything and now he was lost to the ultimate evil.

Yugi had lost.

He'd lost everything.

It was just too much to take.

Before anyone could stop him, Yugi was away from his friends, and away from his house, running and running through endless dark streets, running away from his crumbling life, leaving nothing behind but a trail of suicidal tears in his wake.

And all the time Leo's words echoed through his mind, coming over and over the exact same conclusion…

…Yami was gone, and there was no way of getting him back.

* * *

Note – okay, again, I spent forever going over this chapter and making it just perfect, so please, please be nice okay? 


	29. Pleasure Torture

Note – Okie i know i said i'll write up a short summery, but i'm lazy so i'm not gonna. if you didnt get what happened before, go read Divine Seraphim's review, she gets it straight off.

Note 2 - Next chapter up! Sorry its been forever.

* * *

Chapter 29 – Pleasure, Torture

Time had passed when Yami opened his eyes. He wasn't quite sure how much, or how he knew that, but he was definitely sure about it.

And the scenery had changed too.

It was now very, _very _dark.

"Have a good rest, my love?"

If Yami could, he would've jumped right out of his skin. His heart began to race.

Griffin's voice just seemed to have come straight out of the darkness, until Yami finally realised there was a silken blindfold tied across his eyes. It also just occurred to him that he was suddenly lying on his back on something luxuriously soft and comfortable.

Trying not to freak himself out too much as his memory flooded back, Yami considered his situation and found it quite reassuring to find he still felt okay, and he still had all his clothes on from the feel of things.

In all hope, Yami tried to move.

No such luck.

"I hope you did rest well…" Griffin's voice said seductively.

Yami's breath hitched, the same fear of before flooding through him uncontrollably again.

The voice was suddenly so close…

"After all," Whispered the voice in the darkness. "You will need your strength for my fun."

In the confines of his own head, Yami freaked out. Despite the initial check, he instantly assessed his own frozen body again, checking for any new aches or pains or anything that felt vaguely toxic enough to suggest Griffin had already done…_something_.

Griffin apparently noticed his sudden, panic-breathing again.

"Oh don't worry, I haven't done anything…yet." Griffin's voice said smoothly.

The blindfold was pulled away.

Blinking in the dim light, Yami gazed up, trying to focus…and then he really wished he hadn't.

Griffin smiled, gazing into Yami's terrified eyes from his seat beside Yami. His smile widened with satisfaction as Yami visibly began to shake again, looking up at him anxiously.

Griffin cocked his head to one side, his green eyes glistening in the darkness. "Don't' believe me?" He said with a sickeningly cute pout. "I'm offended. After all this time you still think I only want to harm you?"

Yami's blood ran cold as Griffin grinned ominously, and leaned closer.

"If I wanted to have you as you slept…" He said softly, his balmy breath flitting over Yami's lips. "…I'd have taken you in your bedchamber that night…remember?"

Griffin chuckled.

"What am I saying? Of course you remember, I gave you your memories of me back didn't I?"

Yami cringed inwardly as Griffin raised a hand to his face and stroked a single finger down his cheek, over his neck and down the centre of his chest.

"My, you have changed Prince Atem," Griffin said idly, gazing over Yami's form. "You used to be so…_tender_, aged just thirteen. Then again," He smiled, looking into Yami's eyes. "You are still so very, very pretty…"

Yami whimpered softly as Griffin caressed his bare chest, leaning even closer.

"Such beautiful eyes you have…" He whispered. "Like rubies…"

Griffin chuckled again as he heard Yami's breath hitch again as his 'innocent' finger traced even further south. Seemingly compassionately, but more like torturously, he halted the touch at Yami's lower stomach.

"Not quite yet, my love." Griffin said sweetly, drawing back again.

He looked thoughtfully at Yami again, noting the evident petrified terror in Yami's eyes at what could potentially happen - and sighed.

"I must admit, little Prince," Griffin said nonchalantly. "I did so want to control you completely. There were just so many possibilities…"

Yami watched Griffin flick his wrist towards himself - and suddenly Yami was sitting up without his own prior knowledge. But now in this knew position, he could see everything around him.

Yami 's heart accelerated, suddenly even more scared then Griffin ever made him feel.

He was still in his Egyptian Royal dress that consisted of only a white, gold-gilded kilt along with everything else. Just one kilt _really _wasn't enough to be covering him right then.

And if that didn't make him nervous enough; he was in a large chamber. Not any large chamber. A chamber he had come to loathe even more deeply then anything ever before.

It was a mirrored copy of his tomb. And this was the burial chamber that housed his dead body forevermore.

It was also the same chamber that had been copied in the confines of the Millennium Puzzle where he had been sealed in for more then five thousand years…

…trapped…

Fear like none other flooded him.

"Oh yes," Griffin said seeing Yami's eyes flicker past him and around at the room, following the other's gaze. "Isn't it perfect? The exact likeness to the chamber they sealed you in the day you died is it not? I spent days weaving the Black Magics into the perfect dimension to keep you in. I only just finished it as you slept."

Griffin grinned again, glancing back at Yami.

"I trust you know the room is all you. But, the bed is definitely all me."

His heart pounding, Yami dropped his gaze to see where exactly he was.

His breath stopped completely.

He was on a bed. Not any bed. A really elaborate bed. A bed that Griffin had obviously and _disturbingly _put so more then a few hours into imagining and then crafting it just for this moment…

It was a four poster bed, crafted beautifully and precisely out of black obsidian and framed with even more exquisite black silk canopy, flowing gently in an insubstantial breeze. Yami could feel the softness of the bed under him, but he could also feel the lavish sensation of the satin sheets as well as see it all around him in the form of both sheets and pillows arranged around him with almost scary calculation and forethought.

This whole bed seemed liked Griffin had spent years getting it just right…

"Do you like it?" Griffin asked drawing Yami's attention back by caressing his cheek.

Yami stared back at him as if he was nuts.

_OF COURSE I DON'T LIKE IT! I WAS TRAPPED HERE FOR FIVE THOUSAND YEARS! I **HATE **THIS ROOM! IF IT WAS REAL, I'D BURN IT DOWN! I **HATE **THIS GODDAMN CHAMBER! _

Yami so wanted to scream that out as Griffin looked at him admiringly, hating absolutely everything that was going on. But without his voice, he had to settle for screaming in the confines of his own head.

He hated this room. If he had been alive, this chamber would've probably driven him to such extremes he would've killed himself before Yugi ever released him.

But since he's been dead at the time, he'd had to endure the darkness for what had seemed like so much longer then forever…

Yami's hopes crashed and burned in a sudden explosion of sheer anxiety.

It only just struck him he hadn't seen a door or a window. Well…he did see one door. It was on the opposite wall and it was made of black granite, gilded with pure gold.

_This chamber really was exactly like my Soul Room…even the door…_

The door had the golden Sennen Eye carved into the granite, and had molten gold poured into it. It also hand no visible handle. It could not be opened from the inside…just like the Real door to Yami's Soul Room.

It was _exactly _like his tomb, it really was.

Plus, with Griffin here, and with the supreme Black Magics around them, there was no way to escape. Yami was trapped once more. But this time, he was trapped with his worst nightmare of his childhood.

Yami's breathing accelerated with fear as Griffin moved even closer, bracing a hand either side of him and leaning in so close, their lips were only millimetres apart.

"I do wish you were under my control, Atem. If you under my complete control…" Griffin whispered staring unforgivingly into Yami's eyes, his own filled with evil mischief. "I could make you do anything I wanted, absolutely anything I ordered of you, even…"

He smiled evilly.

"Even make you fall hopelessly in love with me."

Griffin laughed seeing the sudden hard glint in Yami's eyes, watching the vivid crimson flanked by blackness flare with anger in the dimness. Anger sparked by the renewed strength of, no doubt thinking of Yugi again.

"He'll never have you again, my sweet." Griffin whispered. "Never again,"

Just one line, but it was enough to drag back the terror into Yami's eyes; because above everything - it was still true. And the truth can be so much scarier then a lie ever could.

"But I suppose I did so love your free spirit, I suppose it was a good thing the spell failed." Griffin said pulling back a little. "And everyone enjoys a sense of unpredictability don't they? Besides,"

Griffin grasped Yami's shoulders and lovingly laid him back on the bed, arranging the pillows perfectly to prop his upper body up a little.

Silently Yami began to panic again, the fear returning with a vengeance.

"Besides," Griffin said again slightly quieter, enjoying the look in the younger teenager's eyes. "I always liked you…how shall I say?" He smiled mirthlessly. "Cute and compliant. Very, very _compliant_…much… like…this…"

Yami's heart stopped as Griffin closed the gap between their lips…and kissed him.

Silently gagging, Yami squeezed his eyes shut wishing to god this wasn't happening. He could feel Griffin's tongue force his way through his unresponsive lips, invading his mouth like something far, far worse then the most grotesque of diseases.

The kiss felt cold. Not physically cold…but just cold. There wasn't really a way to describe it. Griffin felt bodily warm like a human should be…but there was a coldness about him that stabbed harshly into Yami's heart deeper and deeper the longer Griffin kissed him.

Yami drew in a sharp breath as Griffin finally broke the kiss after what felt like a lifetime of pure hell. Griffin was by no means a soft kisser; he'd literally stolen the breath in Yami's lungs.

"Hmmm," Griffin said sweetly, licking his lips. "Much more obedient this time, well done."

He laughed mirthlessly.

"Then again, I don't suppose you had much choice, right?"

Yami stared a Griffin pulled back, suddenly and frighteningly feeling a lot more vulnerable as he watched the other. He stared as Griffin reached up a hand to his head and held back the longish dark locks from the side of his neck, just below his left ear.

Yami closed his eyes briefly as he caught sight of the ugly scar under Griffin's hair, remembering just how he had gained it.

"I really _did not _like what happened the last time."

Griffin dropped his locks and caressed Yami's cheek again instead, making him open his eyes.

"Don't worry," Griffin said nicely. "You will make up for it later."

_This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening._

The thought echoed over and over through Yami's head as he felt the older teenager's hand slip 'innocently' down his front again, thankfully staying over his chest this time.

He felt so sick. Felt so used, hating himself just for letting himself get drawn into this kind of situation again…and with the most evil being that ever had the nerve to walk the earth.

Panic set in again as Yami felt Griffin's finger began to trace little circles around his nipple. Silently hating himself for getting stimulated no matter how hard he fought it.

"Hmmm," Griffin said idly a moment later, smiling softly as he watched a shiver course through his prisoner, even if he was grossly mistaken over what it indicated. "This outfit…I must say it does look very lovely on you, just…a little _too _easy. Plus, you have aged after all." He pointed out. His green eyes sparkled with a new idea. "And you have a much nicer body now that could just look so much more…_sexy_."

Yami's breath hitched as a freezing cold draught flitted over this body in the form of insubstantial Black Magic.

"Such odd tastes you have picked up in this lifetime, little Prince," Griffin commented. "It is very…_provocative_…"

Worried, Yami dropped his gaze down as far as he could see over himself. All he could make out was that he was wearing something dark, with shiny silver bits and it felt very tight fitting…

Yami's eyes widened.

He's changed me back into my leathers, he thought confused. Why would he…

"I like it." Griffin said softly.

Yami's blood ran cold. There was no way he could mistake the look in those emerald green eyes.

His breath caught as he felt Griffin's hand slide up his inner thigh teasingly, caressing him gently but still not taking full advantage.

Griffin was playing with him, and causing maximum torture as he did so.

Griffin smiled victoriously to himself, gazing over his incredible prize. Yami just looked so gorgeous, so very perfect, and so…delicious. Now changed into a black, fitted silk shirt, tight matt-leather pants and an assortment of belts and buckles…Yami was looking very, very _scandalous_.

Griffin couldn't help himself.

A soft whimper escaped Yami's lips as Griffin tugged away his studded choker and bit down on his neck, laying savage kisses over his neck. But the sound was almost inaudible, almost as silent as the screaming in Yami's head. He could feel everything, every graze of Griffin's lips that had so captured his passion before only felt sickening now he knew what was taking it's pleasure on him.

He felt so dirty. So disgusted at himself for being used like this.

He cringed inwardly as he felt Griffin's hands explored his body freely, but not being forceful. He was still just teasing Yami - prolonging Yami's agony, and extending his own pleasure.

Breathing rapidly out of fear as well as knowledge of what undoubtedly was to come, Yami closed his eyes again, desperate to do something to stop this.

_This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening._

_Not again…_

There was nothing Yami could do. He could feel everything. Every touch, every graze, every sick violation of his own body…_everything_…

And he couldn't move. Couldn't stop it.

"Beautiful…" Griffin whispered.

Yami felt the bed shift under him as Griffin lay down beside him, now leaning over him once more to kiss him. Ignoring the kiss as much as he could, Yami felt the other's weight pressing down on his chest almost possessively; Griffin seizing the opportunity to get real up close and personal after eternity of deprival.

Yami stared up at him, panic-stricken as Griffin sat up slightly, savouring every moment of unfastening Yami's shirt…and gliding his hands over trembling flesh as a result of a furious heartbeat of pure anxiety.

Frozen, Yami couldn't even gag as he felt the slick heat of Griffin's tongue sliding over his chest, playing on his nipples for a mind-wrecking minute before travelling even further down.

Yami shut his eyes tightly, silently hoping, pleading, wishing to the universe that he was back in Yugi's arms again…

Yami sighed in relief as he felt Griffin pull back again, but it was quickly cut short and replaced with yet more anxiety and another near heart-attack.

Griffin abruptly ripped away all Yami's belts and buckles before, gently laying a hand on the button of his leather pants.

"Five thousand years, Prince Atem." Griffin said, gazing mercilessly into Yami's terrified eyes. "Five long millennia I have waited for this moment. Waited to have you…"

Griffin smiled. He leaned closer, watching the fear grow.

"That's a long time to imagine…just what I can do to you, _my love_."


	30. Opposite Hand

Chapter30 – Opposite Hand

"Where would he go?" Krysta asked.

Joey bit his lip, shaking his head. "I honestly don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Seto demanded. "Aren't you best friends?"

Joey looked at him. "Yeah…but when he's upset, he _always _comes to me, Seto. So I don't know where Yugi would go now."

"Well we've got to find him fast," Leo said, fighting back Yue's protests again as he shakily stood up.

"Why fast?" Tea asked, confused.

"Because it's late, it's dark and it's about time for all the creeps come out to play."

There was a mass exchange of worried looks.

"We could search all the familiar places," Sakura said hopefully. "Maybe he just went somewhere to clear his head. Maybe the park or somewhere."

"Or he went off to do something stupid," Bakura remarked.

Everyone stared at him.

"Bakura," Ryou said pleadingly. "At least try and use all that stuff I taught you about tact."

"Oh like you weren't thinking it," Bakura said derisively, ignoring his boyfriend. "That kid always goes off and does something stupid in extreme situations."

Joey sighed. "Well that is kinda true,"

"They're not stupid," Sakura said defensively. "Just…reckless."

"And those reckless things usually work." Yue pointed out.

Bakura glared at him for no apparent reason.

"So what should we do then?" Ryou asked anxiously. "We can't search the whole city…"

The words trailed off, the obvious hitting him.

Sakura looked up at him. "Why not? Me, Krysta and Yue could do it from the sky, and you guys on the ground."

Leo took a deep breath, trying to gather the remainder of his strength and rub away the growing migraine. "I could probably make a tracking spell to find him."

"You can't," Krysta said worriedly. "You're too weak, you have to rest."

"I'm fine."

"You're sick."

"I said I'm fine."

"You can't even stand up Leo, you might drop dead if you use your magic again."

"Could he really die?" Tea squeaked fearfully.

"Only if he uses more magic," Yue told her. "It's the only thing keeping him alive right now."

"You have to rest or you'll kill yourself!" Sakura half-cried, scared out of her mind.

"Not before I kill him first." Leo said murderously.

Krysta quickly caught Sakura's shoulders, calming her down.

"Don't worry," She told her reassuringly. "He'll be fine soon, a lot worse then this has happened before remember?"

"I'm okay Sakura," Leo stated. "Really,"

The girl smiled softly and nodded, feeling a little calmer.

"We can handle finding him, Leo," Joey told him reassuringly. "You just get better."

"I can get a city-wide search going immediately." Seto said already reaching for his cell phone.

"I don't think he'll go too far, Seto or put himself in danger wherever he's gone," Joey told him. "…well not without a good reason anyway."

There is a moment. A moment when suddenly, you turn around, and you just think you just think to yourself…something's different. There is something here in the big wide world that you were sure wasn't there a second ago.

That moment was right then.

There was something in the world that hadn't been there before.

All fell silent. All the magically charged teenagers first, then the others following suit, more out of curiosity then anything else. Then, as if they'd entered a weird upside-down universe, even the none-magically charged of the group felt it too.

Something was different. The same something that had entered the world and changed it.

Not changed…_become_.

"What is that?" Sakura asked softly.

The young people glanced at each other, all searching for answers and discovering none as they gazed from friend to friend.

There was a new sensation rippling through the air. All the magically gifted could feel it so clearly, could feel the unmistakable intensity all around them. And yet…it wasn't imposing, wasn't intimidating the way powerful magic tended to be.

It was almost…childlike.

Like pure innocence set free.

There was a mass exchange of glances.

"What's what?" Mokuba asked, aware of the sensation, but still in the dark at what it all meant.

"There's a new energy source here; a really strong one." Seto told him.

"I've never sensed that before," Sakura said. She looked around, no longer feeling anxious at the new power for some reason beyond her. "It's…weird."

"Really?" Tea asked, surprised.

Krysta nodded. "It has a new magical signature."

Bakura chuckled suddenly, pulling Ryou closer reassuringly. "Nope, there are no new magics. All there was, is all there is."

The power densed.

It collected.

It drew nearer.

It held majestically, imposing its sheer grandeur over the entire house.

And it was _very _close.

"You were right Joey," Said another voice. "I'll only put myself in danger for a good reason. And I did."

In sudden, unquestionable shock, the teenagers slowly turned to the doorway to the living room.

Yugi smiled. "It would just be pointless otherwise, wouldn't it?"

The group formed a collective stare.

They could all see Yugi standing there. Their cute little friend, who had an unquenchable optimism for life, the most gentle of personalities and the most loving nature…

…but it didn't _seem _like him.

It was more like there was _more _of him then there had been when he had run off.

There was Yugi, right there. Just standing there, leaning leisurely against the doorframe like he'd done so many times before, except this time…it still seemed like there was a whole lot more standing there then they were seeing.

Those who could _did _sense Yugi's aura, instantly knowing it was him…but he still felt different, there just weren't sufficient words to explain it.

He felt…stronger. Stronger then he had been when charged with Light magics alone.

No…not stronger… _powerful_.

So much more powerful then ever before. As if he was charged with a _different _source…

A source so powerful it hadn't been sensed in this world since before time itself.

And yet Yugi still looked exactly the same as when he had left.

Well, except the fact his tears were gone and in its place was fresh confidence and courage, and also the fact that he had changed his clothes. Yugi was now out of his school uniform and back in his black matt-leather pants, black sleeveless tank-top and had his usual assortment of buckles and chains along with the Light half of the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. He looked ready for action and very hot too; a perfect combination.

It only just struck them Yugi was staring at only one of them.

All eyes turned to Leo.

But he was staring into space.

"I can't believe it…" He whispered. "I didn't think it was possible…"

All stared in rising dread as Leo shook his head.

"How did…?"

The moon guardian glanced at his lover suddenly, quickly catching him as he collapsed against him.

"What is it?" Yue asked him softly, gently easing Leo onto the sofa and drawing his lover's attention back from his still spaced out gaze.

He blinked, suddenly worried.

"Leo?"

Leo pressed a hand to his head, breathing deeply. "I don't feel so good…"

Leo looked so out of it, almost as if he was slowly fading away while everyone had been too caught up with Yugi's sudden appearance to notice, especially with his avid denials. His usually striking azure blue eyes were almost completely darkened, the mark that magical energy was diminishing fast. His skin was ashen white, and his breathing suddenly erratic and deep, stunting randomly enough to make anyone fully aware that something was majorly wrong.

Once more, Yue caught him before he could fall and get hurt even worse and gently led him to the sofa, grateful for the support.

Krysta bit her lip, instantly knowing things weren't looking too great just because Leo wasn't fighting back anymore.

"He's getting worse, isn't he?" She asked, twisting the end of her top as she watched her guardian gently laid Leo back on the sofa.

"Yes," Yue said softly, kneeling down beside Leo who was now gazing impassively at the ceiling. He caressed his boyfriend's cheek lovingly, carefully coaxing Leo's attention back to him. "She can't sustain him much longer, his injuries are just too severe."

"We should call a doctor." Seto said.

Sakura shook her head. "We can't, Leo hates them. He'll just turn them into statues or something until we agree to get rid of them."

"Even if it kills him he won't let them near him." Krysta finished in a whisper.

"He will be okay though won't he?" Mokuba asked quietly.

Yue kept his gaze on his lover, trying to hide his growing fears. "It's difficult to say…"

The words hung in the air like a bad omen.

"God…" Krysta whispered, tears filling her eyes as he looked down at her big brother. "What did Griffin do to him?"

Yue closed his eyes, clasping one of Leo's hands in both his own as his lover fell unconscious. "The cuts have healed, but the damage inside hasn't yet."

"Internal bleeding?" Seto asked gently.

"Yes."

There were worried gasps all round.

"The Fifth Element still has the ability to function, doesn't she?" Yugi asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Yue glanced up at him in sudden hope and nodded.

And Yugi stepped forward.

"Then all he needs," He stated. "Is an energy boost."

Realisation rocked through the teenagers, the obvious finally registering in their minds.

The new powerful source, no, the _old _powerful source they had all been sensing was coming from Yugi.

They watched in fascination, automatically drawing back as Yugi kneeled down beside the sofa and gazed over Leo, as if he was silently assessing him. Then, carefully, Yugi raised a hand and gently laid it on the Leo's chest.

There was a flash of white from under Yugi's palm.

Pure white.

So bright, so intense, and yet so comforting, even the mind couldn't comprehend just how one purity of colour could be both powerful and consoling at the same time…and still be childlike too.

Suddenly, Leo's body convulsed as if he'd just gained an electrical shock to his heart and everyone instantly leapt back in astonishment.

Mostly because Leo had suddenly bolted up, breaking the magical stream and was now leaning forward, breathing very fast, leaving Yugi to stumble backward onto the floor, just as shocked as the others.

Yugi stared, stunned at what had happened, too shocked at himself to even get up.

"Leo?" Yue said anxiously, the first to break the freaked-out paralysis. "Are you alright?"

The young man didn't look up, his face and eyes still hidden by his locks of hair as he leaned forward, apparently trying to get a grip on himself.

"Er, Leo?" Krysta said tentatively.

"Oh that's good…" Leo murmured, taking a deep breath.

Yue smiled. "I thought I was the only one who made you say that."

Leo looked up at him and smiled back whilst embarrassed blushes circled the group.

"You know you're good, babe."

There was a collective sigh of relief and general confusion all-round.

Leo looked back to normal, his eyes were back to the sparkling blue of a mountain lake and, well, he was acting Leo-like again. And that said more then enough.

After another moment of Krysta and Sakura hugging Leo till he resembled a crushed can, and then a lot of excited and incoherent questioning, he glanced at Yugi again.

Leo shook his head, trying to think of the right words. "I can't believe it…how did you know?"

Yugi smiled and shrugged. "Magic have their own minds remember? It just worked through me. I have no idea what they did."

"No…how did you know about it?" Leo pressed.

"Wait," Joey cut in. "How about you explain what just happened? How did you fix Leo up?"

"Yeah, what happened to you, Yugi?" Sakura asked amazed. "How did you do that?"

"What _did _you do?" Mokuba asked, lost.

Even Bakura looked impressed. "Not bad kid…replenishing the Fifth Element isn't exactly that easy."

"It's next to impossible." Leo said. "I'd have been laid up for days the way I was - and you're not even tired after doing it."

"How did you do that?" Seto asked.

"When did your Light magics get more powerful?" Ryou wondered.

Yugi smiled, taking the onslaught of questions in pure serenity.

He held up a hand, quieting them all down, then glanced back at Leo.

"Why don't you explain Leo?" He suggested. "You know everything."

"I don't know everything." Leo replied. "I only know what's worth knowing."

"Stop talking in riddles, it's really annoying." Krysta ordered.

"Will you tell us already?" Tea said exasperated.

"Yeah, what's this secret you two only seem to know?" Mokuba asked.

Leo looked at the younger teenagers. "Can't you sense it?"

"That magic?" Ryou asked.

Sakura looked at Yugi too. "That powerful source is coming from Yugi right?"

"Right." Leo stated. "He's unsealed the White Magics."

There was resounding sound of startled gasps.

"WHAT?" Joey half-yelled. "I thought you said that was impossible!"

Leo looked at him, genuinely innocently. "When did I say that?"

Joey fell silent again, trying to think back to when he had said that. Then he realised he hadn't.

"Oh,"

Yue shook his head in misunderstanding. "But that power…it's unlike anything else, it's…_chaste_."

Yugi nodded contently. "That's what White Magic is - it's just pure innocence. The total opposite of Black Magics."

Leo smiled and gazed at Yugi again. "That's just…incredible. How? How did you do it? It took all the power of gods with the guidance of the Immortals to unseal it last time."

"The White Magics are in you?" Sakura gasped. "All of it is _inside _you?"

Yugi nodded, watching her gasp again as she witnessed the flash of whiteness glint through his amethyst eyes.

"So how did you do it then?" Seto pressed intrigued. "If the power is as strong as we all sense it, how did you unseal it?"

"Where did you find it?" Sakura wondered.

"How did you harness it?" Bakura asked curiously, secretly looking for tips.

"What did you do to unseal it?" Joey pressed.

"How can you handle all that raw power?" Krysta asked.

But it was Leo who came up with the question that was going to bake everyone's noodle for a long, long time until it was explained.

"Where the hell did you go?"

Yugi just smiled.

"I'll explain later," His voice turned serious, his amethyst eyes hardening with determination. "Right now, there's things to do. And I need your help."

Once more the group exchanged glances anxiously.

"Are you sure you can take on Griffin?" Yue asked him.

Yugi nodded. "Sure as I'll ever be." He took a deep breath, clenching his fists tightly. "I want my boyfriend back, and I've got a new policy."

"What policy?" Joey asked.

Yugi glanced at his friends, more determined then ever.

"I take no prisoners. Griffin's going to pay for this." He said murderously. "One mistake doesn't justify stealing Yami from me, no matter what happened in the past. Yami belongs to me, only me."

"Griffin could be anywhere in the multi-verse, in any dimension," Leo pointed out. "How are you going to find him?"

Without another word, Yugi turned around, facing the far wall, sensing all his friends watching him at his back.

"Magic knows magic," Yugi said softly. "I can find the Black Magics. Then I'll know where Griffin and Yami are."

The teenagers reflexively braced, holding onto each other as Yugi raised a hand again, knowing this wasn't going to be a regular summoning.

From Yugi's entire form the White Magics gathered, using the teenager's body like a living electrical conduit, running through his whole body and aiming to exit through his outstretched hand. At Yugi's palm, the White Magics showed themselves, shimmering like pearly sparkles as they gathered at Yugi's fingertips and then trickled down through the fingers, and finally pooled in the centre of his palm.

Then they left Yugi altogether in one continuous stream of pure White Magic…streaming straight into the wall.

The room filled with bright light, whiteness so bright it scathed the eyes of whoever looked upon it, but still was so perfect, so chaste, the onlooker just had to stare in awe anyway.

The power formed a jet from Yugi's palm, flowing out into the wall with Yugi to guide it and weave it into what he wished of it.

The power was immense, it was impossible to describe. It was as if the white light had taken over everything, flowing into the wall and sparking off Yugi and the magical stream in random directions.

The power was incomprehensible. Every sense of the teenagers were overloaded, making them stagger back under the sheer magnitude of the magics asserting themselves all around them.

And yet the power, though immense, didn't feel threatening as power tended to be. It was serene, comforting, almost like a fluffy blanket that managed to wrap up absolutely everything, but instead of making them feel suffocated, it made them feel safer and more secure inside it then the strongest vault could.

But it still felt…_childish_.

Innocent.

It was the ultimate power of the universe unleashed. The opposite hand of the divine scales.

But still, it was unlike anything ever felt before - ever.

It was just…untainted. Completely untainted.

After five seconds, the magics densed around the magical stream from Yugi's palm and then the white magical jet dissipated into the wall, leaving a swirling vortex before him.

Now spared from the mind-blowing magics, the young people checked they were all okay and then gathered around Yugi, staring at the spiralling vortex before them that he had created, and that had also previously been a wall.

Despite the White Magics that has created it, the vortex was a mass of churning blackness and only bordered by the whiteness, as if it was nothing more then a tear into another dimension.

And it turned out that it was. It also turned out that to do that required a huge amount of power…and Yugi still didn't look tired at all.

He really did have unlimited power.

"You found the dimension Griffin created?" Seto asked, stunned.

"Yes," Yugi replied.

Bakura smiled brightly at the younger teenager. "Have I told you how much I like you lately Yugi?"

"Not now Bakura."

"Damn."

"Now what?" Joey asked.

Yugi turned to his friends. "Now I'm gonna get my boyfriend back."

"You are not going on your own." Leo stated firmly.

"But -" Yugi started.

"Look, super-charged or not, you don't know Griffin." Leo told him. "He's dangerous; he was when he was alive and how that he's dead, he's also super-charged and extremely pissed at us, so he isn't going to be any nicer."

"We're going with you." Sakura stated.

"No you're not." Leo and Yugi said together.

"You said you needed help didn't you?" Krysta pointed out.

"I'm not letting Griffin kill you then keep Yami anyway," Seto stated.

Yugi looked up at him. "Why do you think he'll kill me?"

"He's jealous of you remember?" Seto told him. "He was gonna come cut you to bits anyway just for having been with Yami wasn't he?"

"He is just as powerful as you are Yugi, White and Black are equal remember?" Yue pointed out. "You need an edge, something that he doesn't have so you can get the upper hand."

"Listen to the expert in strategic games," Joey stated. "Yue knows everything about that."

He suddenly felt a very, _very _icy glare on him.

"A very strategic _chess _player," Joey corrected himself quickly. "For any _other _game, ask Seto."

"Look, if you want to kill off Griffin and put the Black Magics back where they belong, you'll need more then White Magics." Bakura stated. "The bottom line is, you need us."

They all looked at him, startled.

Bakura growled lowly. "Do I have to spell this out to you lot? If the world goes to hell, I don't exactly have anywhere to escape to….well nowhere that Ryou will be happy enough not to scream every five seconds at some big scary monster."

"At least you have a little more firepower and distracting abilities," Ryou pointed out, blushing as he tried to steer the argument back on track.

"Okay," Leo said. "You've got all of us."

"_Most _of us," Seto corrected, pointedly gesturing to Joey, Mokuba, Tea and Ryou.

Yugi smiled.

"Thanks guys." He said sincerely. "You're great."

"We know." Sakura said sweetly.

Yugi took a deep breath as everyone summoned their magics, ready to go into battle.

"Okay," Yugi said. "I can keep the gateway open without Griffin knowing, but when we step through and break into the dimension, he's gonna know we're there - and know what's happened to me."

The group faced off with the vortex.

"So what's the plan?" Seto asked, taking a summoned double-headed axe from Leo.

Yugi faltered. "Um…"

"YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN!"

"I'm making this up as I go along." Yugi said defensively. "It's not like I've done this before."

"How about we kill Griffin, get Yami back and then reseal both Black and White Magics?" Yue suggested.

The group exchanged glances.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Sakura said.

"Great, let's go." Bakura said impatiently.

As the others prepared to go through, summoning all their weapons, Leo glanced at his lover.

"Um, Yue?" He said tentatively.

"Say it and you're not getting any for a week." Yue answered without missing a beat, or looking up from his bow.

Leo pouted as his boyfriend cast playful feline eyes onto his. "I really have to come up with a decent comeback for that."

Yue smiled. "Don't worry, things will be okay."

Leo sighed. "You spend too much time with Sakura you know that? She says that all the time."

"She's usually right isn't she?" Yue pointed out. He caught Leo's hand reassuringly. "I know he wants to kill me, but he wants to kill you too, so that makes us even."

"Alright," Leo said softly. "Just…watch your back."

"You too." Yue told him. "I don't like the idea that anyone but me can beat you."

Leo smiled.

Across from them, Yugi smiled, hearing the exchange. His heart twisted painfully knowing it was him and Yami that had been so closely bound like that before.

He sighed silently, thinking just how much things had changed in just a few hours…and just how much he was wishing Yami was back in his arms.

Blinking away the tears, he looked up at his friends, ready for action.

"Everyone ready?"

"This is so unfair," Joey seethed, glaring at the others before they could answer.

"We have to stay here too, Joey." Mokuba told him.

"Yeah but you're a kid, Ryou's been ordered to stay here and Tea's a chick."

That earned him a few more surprisingly ferocious glares.

"It's just dangerous Joey," Yugi said gently. "And, well…"

"Well what?"

"Well, Griffin might have created a few, you know - guardians."

Joey looked at them blankly as Sakura handed him a gold-gilded crossbow courtesy of The Arrow Card and Bakura handed his Hikari a jewel encrusted dagger that just happened to be on him at the time.

"So if they come through the open gateway, someone needs to be here to kill them off," Krysta finished. "And if there's more then one, Tea can yell at them till they die of fright."

Tea beamed. "Oh I can do _that _alright."

Joey sighed and gave in. "Fine, just be careful okay?"

"Sure," Seto said. "And take care of Mokie for me."

And then gave him a soft, lingering kiss.

The onlookers giggled softly at Joey's dazed look, silently sighing at the cuteness for a moment, before turning serious again.

"Alright," Yugi said pointedly, turning back to the gateway.

Yami filled his mind and heart, reminding him yet again of everything they had together, and hoping to god it could be salvaged…and that Griffin hadn't had time to do anything to Yami

Yugi took his Millennium Puzzle into his hands remembering the fear in Yami's eyes just before Griffin had stolen him away.

_You're not getting away with this Griffin. You'll pay for this._

"Let's do this."

They stepped through the gateway.


	31. Gateway

Chapter 31 - Gateway

The group stared.

Then they stared some more.

"This looks… familiar." Bakura said eventually.

Yugi stared in silent shock at their surroundings. This had to be the last thing he had expected to see.

The five were standing in his own mind plane.

Well, sort of standing in his own mind plane.

Actually it was more like they were standing in a mirrored reflection of his own mind plane.

They were all in a long corridor that seemed to go on endlessly, vanishing into the darkness a few metres in front of them. The corridor itself was narrow and made of age-yellowing sandstone blocks and lit only by two lone torches mounted on the walls on either side. Their flames flickered in an insubstantial breeze, offering deformed shadows in every direction.

Yugi _knew _this corridor. He'd been there a thousand times before.

It was a mirrored image of the mental plane that connected his mind to Yami's; the pathway that linked Yami and Yugi's minds so they could enter each other's Soul Rooms.

"Looks like he's dipped into the pharaoh's memories a bit and found out what a Yami/Hikari plane looks like," Bakura said tactlessly. "Griffin must be having fun in his head - OW!"

"So sorry," Sakura said sweetly, her green eyes shining with innocence as she looked up at him. "Didn't see your knee there."

Bakura glared at her fiercely, ready to yell bloody-murder at her until he realised Leo was standing next to him - and he just happened to be holding the razor-sharp blade of his remaining jade sword to Bakura's throat in less then a split-second.

Bakura stared in _fear _as Leo's azure blue eyes blazed in the darkness with something so much more deadly then anger.

"_Watch your tongue_." Leo whispered lethally.

Bakura wisely backed down in an instant, and the sword was taken away, leaving him to glare to himself.

"Stay quiet," Yue told them, studying the darkness before them where the corridor seemed to disappear. "There could be anything here."

They looked around that the hallway again. It still looked deceptively peaceful; nothing moved except the swirling gateway behind them, offering a flickering glimpse back into their world and Joey, Mokuba, Tea and Ryou looking out at them.

"Can they hear us?" Seto asked, glancing at the gateway.

"I think they can only see us," Leo said.

He waved a hand, and then Tea waved back apprehensively.

"I guess so," Sakura said softly, suddenly very aware just how worried their friends on the other side looked.

Meanwhile, Yugi had been staring at their surroundings yet again, finally getting over the initial shock to really look at the place.

Yugi frowned suddenly.

"Something's different here." He stated.

The other four looked at him.

"What is it?" Krysta asked.

Yugi stared at the bare walls. No, he _intended _to stare at the bare walls, because in the mental link he held with Yami, the corridor _did _have bare walls save for his and Yami's Soul Room doors.

But this corridor _didn't _have bare walls. Aside from the sandstone blocks creating the walls, this hallway had two long black, silk drapes in the centre of both the walls, spanning about two metres and falling down from ceiling to floor in a black cascade opposite each other.

It was the only other feature in the hallway other then the two torches.

"The doors aren't here." Yugi said staring at the veils.

"What doors?" Seto asked.

"The Soul Room doors," Yugi told them. "There's supposed to be one on each wall each engraved with the Sennen Eye, one that leads to my mind and one that leads to Yami's with one torch on each wall beside it…"

"That's a good point," Bakura said, genuinely trying to be helpful.

Yugi stepped forward between the veils cautiously.

"So do you go into each other's heads a lot?" Bakura asked interestedly. "I get bored in Ryou's mind, all he ever thinks about are bunnies and cute things and frogs for some reason-"

A sound slashed through the air, cutting Bakura off and Seto too, who was just about to yell at him. It was a sound that definitely hadn't come from any of the teenagers.

It sounded like…a growl.

Instantly, everyone was on guard, trying not to tremble as they brandished their weapons, ready for the onslaught of any scary creature to come out of the darkness.

They glanced around, listening as the low growl echoed around them, making it impossible to pinpoint a location to where it had come from. But all they could see was the empty hallway around them, the darkness at one end, and the swirling vortex behind them, taking up the other end of the darkened corridor.

"Let's do this and get out," Seto stated as the sound faded back into the silence. "We don't have time mess about."

"Or tempt fate," Leo added. "Let's go already. Yugi?"

Yugi nodded and turned back to the veils covering the walls on either side and took a deep breath.

Okay, don't freak out, he told himself. Just do what she told you, let the magic guide, don't fight it…

Cautiously, Yugi did as he thought. He closed his eyes and concentrated…

And felt an ever-so-gentle pull…

"What did you do?" Yue asked after a moment.

Yugi opened his eyes and looked up. He found himself standing in front of the veil on the wall to his right without any recollection of ever turning to it.

But that wasn't what had caught everyone's attention - it was the fact that the veil had drawn aside apparently on its own revealing something else.

"The door…" Yugi whispered. "It's the Soul Room door but…"

His voice trailed off, staring at the large door before him.

True it looked just like the regular Soul Room Doors, but there was something different about it. Far from the solid gold of his and Yami's doors, this one was made of solid black granite with the Sennen Eye cast on it in pure gold.

"What's wrong?" Krysta asked anxiously.

Yugi glanced at her. "This is the door to Griffin's Realm."

Seto frowned. "I thought this was it,"

Yugi shook his head. "No, this is the pathway that ties two places, a pathway outside of time, space and reality, its only as a link. The same pathway that connects the Yami/Hikari minds together."

"This is still part of the gateway…that seems to be following us, in case no one's noticed." Bakura said.

Everyone glanced back. Sure enough, the vortex had stayed a few feet behind them, moving the exact same distance towards them the moment they moved forward.

"Well, at least we won't have to make a mad dash for the exit when it all goes wrong," Bakura said brightly.

Seto glared at him, sparked off once more. "If you can't say anything useful then _shut the hell up_!"

"What? These things _always _go wrong. I'm just stating the obvious."

Silence descended. They all knew that was pretty much true; they just didn't want to admit Bakura was right yet again.

It was just too degrading to think about. Plus, Bakura would probably lord it over them for the rest of their lives - not matter how short they turned out to be considering _where _they were and _who _they were up against.

Yugi glanced behind him at the other curtain.

On impulse he raised his hand, feeling a warm glow ignite within him and casually waved his hand through the air before the veil. There was the briefest of shimmers, rippling gently over the black veil…and the curtain was drawn aside.

Yugi stared at the exact same mirrored door to the one on his right. Well, almost exact, this door had just one difference.

The Sennen Eye was cast out of obsidian glass, and even blacker then the granite that surrounded it.

"So where does that one lead?" Yue asked.

"I'm not sure," Yugi said. "In my link with Yami, there would be another golden door there that lead into my mind and this one would be for Yami's. But they _both _have the golden Sennen Eye on them."

The teenagers looked at the revealed door again.

"Are you sure it's this one?" Krysta asked apprehensively. "I mean, anything could be behind it."

Yugi gazed at the door for a moment before answering. The White Magics had drawn him to this door first, he knew that for sure, and he trusted the White Magic inside him more then anything else right then.

Yugi suddenly realised just how Leo felt having a living magical entity within him all the time, even it she was in a dormant state until he summoned her.

He also realised just how much faith he had in the power that resided in him at that moment as well as the well-appreciated comfort the sheer idea offered him. No wonder Leo was always so confident, even when hugely outnumbered.

Yugi smiled softly to himself, more certain then ever. "I'm sure."

"If you say so," Bakura said happily.

"There's no door handle." Sakura said staring at it. "How are you supposed to get in?"

Yugi didn't answer. He bit his lip, assessing the door. He knew Yami had been sealed in his Soul Room from the outside before Yugi had released him by completing the Puzzle and unlocking the door, and from then on there had always been a handle on both sides of the door…

Slowly, Yugi raised a palm and let his hand hover over the stone, feeling the coolness radiating off of it.

He felt the power; felt the Black Magics that enforced the door. He could feel the oppressive presence of the blackness emanating from the door itself, he could see it woven so intricately to create the dimension, but…

"The door's the weakness." Yugi whispered.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked gently.

"I can feel it," Yugi told them, staring at the door. "I can feel the power of the Black Magic…but its weaker at his door, it's the entrance so its weaker then the walls, it has to be, to let Griffin in and out without too much trouble."

Without another word, Yugi pressed his palm against the stone.

Instantly the breath was ripped from Yugi's body. The sensation was forced by the sheer power of the White Magics working through him.

A flash of pure white filled his vision. Pure whiteness rippling out from under his palm, power so intense it completely overwhelmed him in that moment. And somewhere far off, he heard the unnatural screams of something he _knew_, but had never met…

Yugi blinked, coming back into reality.

He stared.

No, he watched.

He watched the door sear with whiteness around the edges, scathing away the blackness and then… burst open.

* * *

Yami's heart literally stopped as he looked up, staring in dread at Griffin now towering over him, straddling him at the waist, his hand still resting over his crotch, just callously wanting to extend the younger teenager's torture for as long as possible.

Griffin smiled down at him nicely. "This feels familiar doesn't it?"

Yami retched silently as the other leaned down and ran his tongue inside Yami's ear, tracing the contours excruciatingly slowly.

"I must say," Griffin whispered, their lips only millimetres apart again. "I do so _love _the way you taste."

Yami's heart pounded, feeling Griffin's weight press down on his entire body, dredging up terrifying memories that had been buried deep from over five thousand years ago.

"I also love just how compliant you are this time," Griffin added idly. "It is so much easier then before, remember?"

For what seemed like the millionth time, Yami's gaze flickered to the stone door, silently willing it to burst open with that rich but comforting aura that Yugi always just seemed to radiate whatever he was doing…and then Yugi would step through…

…_and kill Griffin and then give me that beautiful smile and rescue me…_

"He's not coming." Griffin said maliciously.

Yami's eyes snapped back to him, abruptly being ripped out of his fantasy.

"You can stare at the door all you like, my love, but he will never come for you." Griffin told him cruelly. "And once I've had my fill of you…I'll make sure he'll become nothing but a mutilated pile of meat to be fed to the blackness."

Griffin smiled, seeing the dread in Yami's eyes.

"I'll tear that pretty face of his off and give it to you as a present if you like," Griffin said sweetly. "I'll nail it up on the wall just for you."

Something changed in Griffin's voice; turning so chillingly murderous, Yami's blood ran ice cold.

"I'll make sure nothing ever finds him beautiful again." Griffin whispered. He stared with lethal jealousy into Yami's eyes. "And _I'll make you watch_. Watch as I pour acid into his eyes, make you hear him _scream _as I burn that lovely face off and shred that perfect body to ribbons. Would you like that? I'm sure you won't find him so beautiful anymore _would you_?"

Tears filled Yami's eyes, cursing himself for ever letting Griffin near him again, for ever bringing him so close to Yugi, just knowing the inevitable fate of his lovely Hikari. And just knowing the painful truth that Yugi would never be able to fight back against Griffin's power.

The tears welled for the loss yet to come.

"But that will have to wait for now." Griffin said.

Yami drew in a sharp breath as Griffin pressed one hand to the bed by his arm, bracing himself to one side as he playfully fingered the zipper still under his hand. Griffin had been tortuously teasing Yami all through the last few minutes, playfully running his index finger up and down the still-closed zipper, driving Yami insane with dread.

Griffin evil laugher accented the air, if possible, making the dimness even darker then before, as of it _knew _something terrible was about to happen. Something that could never be reversed, never be dealt with, never be overcome no matter how much counselling it took…

Yami felt the button come free on his pants. He squeezed his eyes shut, hating himself to the core. He felt Griffin torturously sliding a hand up his thigh again, unable to do anything about it other then let out a tiny whimper of fear of what would happen next.

Griffin shifted on the bed, leaning possessively over Yami now, gently, almost lovingly laying a hand lightly over Yami's crotch and caressing him almost lovingly.

"Shhh…" Griffin whispered reassuringly, laying soft kisses at Yami's collar bone. "I won't hurt you…_much_."

Yami's breath hitched again as Griffin chuckled.

"Relax…you'll enjoy this,"

Yami opened his eyes into Griffin's smirking face.

"Well, _I _will anyway," Griffin said cruelly. "You will learn to love me eventually, but for now…"

Yami's heart raced as the older teenager fingered his zipper playfully.

"I'll just have to _take _my pleasures." Griffin said, his green eyes glittering.

Yami heart literally stopped and finally…he gave up.

There was nothing he could do to stop it and Yugi couldn't possibly save him now.

It was too late.

Or so he thought.

It was then.

Right then.

At that exact moment, something changed. Something in a world created by Griffin there was a new change that didn't involve him at all.

Yami could sense it…then he could _feel _it…

Screaming.

Unnatural screaming, chilling every cell in his body. But he couldn't hear it through his ears, it was just a feeling. A feeling that he could hear it.

And it was the screaming of the woven magics around him. The shocked cries of the Black Magics that made up everything around him.

Yami slowly opened his eyes, not even aware of Griffin anymore.

And then he heard it. _Really _heard it.

The deafening yet wonderful sound of the solid granite crashing against the far wall…

* * *

Note – okay slightly short chapter, but I hope you liked it, the next bit's not finished yet and is a lot more complex to write then i first thought. God, this fic is just getting more and more complicated, and uni's started up again! NOOOO! I don't have as much time on my hands anymore! And this fic is just getting to the good part too! Will update in three days i promise!

Note 2 – Hehe, I remember all the weird looks from public comps too Divine Seraphim. People always think I'm insane when I'm giggling and talking to myself (YES i talk to myself, i'm a writer so i'm allowed to, just like actors are allowed to as well) whilst on a public computer, so I'll let you of for the shorter reviews this time!


	32. Reunited

Note- Ooo Dragonlady222 is on the right tracks...

hehe, like candy...thanx anna! I love your insight, u alwasy make me smile.

Yeah, i wouldn't forgiven myself if Griffin raped Yami either, Sansi, I'm betting a lot of my readers will come and yell at me.

Note 2 – Muwhaha! Did I not say I'll update in three days? I rock! ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 32 – Reunited

The sound of crunching stone under an incredible force shattered the quiet.

Startled, Griffin's head snapped up, completely forgetting what he was doing in an instant.

And stared in sheer, unadulterated shock at what he saw.

The indestructible door to his dimensional plane was leaning against the adjoining wall, looking so far from a door now; it was difficult for anyone to ever imagine it was ever seen as indestructible.

And through the settling dust, Griffin saw the one person who had just broken down the door that had been forged of one of the most powerful forces ever known.

Yugi froze at the scene. His heart literally stopped in his chest, inexplicably silenced at the absolute shock of what he saw.

Now standing in the doorway of the crushed door, still surrounded by pure, brilliant White Magic in a magnificent display and with all his friends behind him…none of it seemed to register at that moment.

All Yugi saw was the exact replica of Yami's Soul Room beyond the doorway, the same Soul Room he had been in a thousand times before…and the sickening image of Griffin towering over a completely paralysed Yami on a black exotic bed…

For a moment there was shocked silence - then all hell broke loose.

Deep red.

On both sides.

In a flash, Griffin vaulted off the bed with a ferocious growl, already summoning a magical sword to his hand, his green eyes blazing with fury.

"_You_…" Griffin seethed glowering at Yugi.

Yugi didn't even notice him, let alone react. The image he had just seen was just so fresh in his mind, so incredibly hard to register; he was still too shocked to even acknowledge the presence of his arch enemy only metres in front of him.

All Yugi could think about was the image he had walked into.

Griffin had been straddling Yami on the _bed_…his Dark's shirt was _open _and Griffin had been _touching _him very far south…

And now…Yami still lay there unresponsive to the intrusion and Yugi still didn't realised there was an extremely pissed off Griffin standing before him.

"Yami…" He whispered, staring.

He didn't even notice the black blur of a lethal blade heading straight towards his face.

A loud CHINK of blades finally snapped Yugi back into reality and he looked up in shock as a shower of red sparks cascaded down before his eyes.

Yugi stared, suddenly faced with a deep black blade of a sword only inches from his face having just been swung with all the fury of its owner - and was currently being held back by a vibrantly pulsing azure blue sword.

Yugi stepped backwards in shock as he stared at Griffin and Leo, locked in merciless cross-swords.

It only just struck him how shocked Griffin suddenly looked.

"Griffin," Leo said with a smile. "Miss me?"

Without warning and taking full advantage of Griffin's shocked falter, Leo sharply drew his sword upwards, reflecting the force of Griffin's pressure back onto himself.

The blades shrieked harshly as they scraped against each other, letting out a stream of red sparks, the sheer force of the action making Griffin stagger backward unsteadily under it.

Griffin straightened up, his green eyes blazing as they locked on Leo's again, completely ignoring anything else but the intense hatred searing through his veins aimed at the young man before him.

"Eclipse…" He seethed.

Leo watched as Griffin's hands tightened on his sword's hilt, his anger fuelling him totally now.

"The one and only," Leo replied audaciously.

Griffin glared at him, seething with anger.

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE!" Griffin shouted furiously.

Leo's expression changed to an age-old glare, and brandished his own sword with the skill of a master swordsman.

"You first," He countered murderously.

Swords connected in a spectacular swordplay, both skills clashing as Leo fought with calm finesse and skill and Griffin fought out of anger and hatred. Deep red sparks of magical backlash showered through the air as the two opposite but still powerful magics clashed in one fight, in one incredible display.

For a moment, everyone just stared, all too awestruck at the fight going on before them. Griffin was fighting so hard, so furiously, but Leo was just calm and graceful, easily blocking the impulsive attacks, and provoking Griffin just enough to keep his attention and infuriate him even more.

"I so have to get me a sword," Bakura said impressed, unintentionally bringing everyone back into reality.

"Come on," Krysta said urgently. "They'll only go on like this for a little while."

"Why only a little while?" Sakura asked as they dashed into the dimension.

"Because Griffin is too furious to realise he's more powerful then Leo is right now, so at the moment he's just using strength and hatred." Yugi answered. "And as soon as he figures it out and summons his power -"

"Leo's gonna be a lot worse off then last time," Seto answered.

So far, Leo was doing a fantastic job of distracting Griffin from the rest of them; Griffin was just so consumed by the need to kill Leo, he was completely ignoring them and easily being distracted by Leo's ability to just keep on provoking him into attacking him. And while he was _attacking_, Griffin wasn't _thinking_.

"We can get to Yami, Yue guard the gateway." Krysta ordered.

"From what?" Sakura asked.

"Griffin destroying it." Krysta answered. "Or we're all stranded here with him." She glanced at the guardian. "Watch over my brother."

Yue looked back sincerely. "Always."

Yugi nodded. "Okay, let's go."

It was a good plan; it was a shame something else changed that none of them expected.

A low but menacing growl filled the air.

And the group froze mid-step.

"That doesn't sound good," Bakura said, for once in his life glad he was in a big cluster of well-armed people.

The growling continued around them, along with the curses, cries and sounds of swordplay still going on beside them. But all the sounds were bouncing around them randomly; they had no idea what direction the growling was coming from.

"What is that?" Sakura squeaked.

Yugi's blood ran cold. He could feel it. He could feel them coming towards them…sense them taking shape…and hear them becoming ever more agitated at their presence in their realm…

Yugi stared into the darkness all around them.

"Oh no…" He whispered.

The teenagers froze, literally.

Out of the blackness they formed. Taking shape before their very eyes. There were six of them, arcing around them.

The group clustered closer together, raising their weapons a little higher up then they were comfortable with, and feeling a tad more out of their depth.

"Great, now we've got to take them out too." Krysta whispered. "D'you think we can take two each?"

"I'll probably have to deal with one," Sakura said. "They are twice the size of me."

"Don't you want to know what they are?" Yugi asked surprised it wasn't the first question they wondered about.

"Not really no."

"Bakura?" Seto said quietly.

"Hmmm?"

"Have you ever dealt with those before?"

"Nope."

Seto glared at him side on, just for the sake of glaring at him. "Got any ideas anyone?"

"Get Yami," Yue stated.

Now Seto glared at him. "How do you propose to do that? Those things waiting for us to move first." He hissed, annoyed.

"He _meant_, Yugi and Sakura get Yami, we can hold them off." Krysta told him.

"We can use them to distract attention from Yami should Griffin look this way." Yue finished.

Sakura nodded, trying not to freak out. "Okay, but you still guard the gateway Yue."

"Yes Mistress."

"You have to destroy their eyes," Yugi said suddenly.

"_What_?" Everyone hissed quietly.

"That's how you kill them," Yugi said.

"How do you know that?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Alright," Krysta whispered. "That's what we'll do. And make sure they don't get through the gateway either. I doubt Tea will be able to scream those things to death."

They looked at the creatures again.

Griffin really did have _some _imagination.

The creatures titled their heads to one side, regarding them with an air of hungry curiosity.

Oddly enough, they all had emerald green eyes too.

"GO!" Bakura yelled suddenly.

The group scattered on cue, as of they'd rehearsed it a hundred times before, and thankfully, the creatures hesitated. It was more then enough time.

Without even a warning, Yue was already in the air, flying high above them, letting fly a cluster of moon crystals with needle points into the eyes of the monster directly in front of Yugi and Sakura who were already running straight towards it.

Grasping Sakura's hand, Yugi ran through the opening with her as the monster vanished with a scream back into the blackness, risking a glance over his shoulder at the fates of the others.

Seto was busy laying into one creature, using his double-headed axe with ease and precision from years of having to defend himself from hired hit men and any other dangers arising from his business lifestyle, and now spurred on my the anger of how his ex-boyfriend had been treated by an ancient enemy.

Krysta had her hands full battling another two creatures back using the Mirror to create a double and confuse them, and then summoning her own sword to fight back in a very _underhanded _way that no one would have ever associated with her being as nice as she was.

And then there was Bakura…

The image of him and creature he was taking down stuck in Yugi's mind for a very long time from that one brief glance.

Bakura was _enjoying _himself.

Yugi felt a small smile cross his lips. He'd just seen Joey shoot an arrow through the vortex and into the monster's arm that Bakura was happily slashing into, distracting it enough for Bakura to aim for the eyes.

The thank-you-smile from Bakura to Joey had to be a once in a lifetime gesture that Yugi felt privileged to have seen.

Leaving his friends to take care of the monsters, Yugi looked up as Sakura gasped in shock.

They stopped short as they finally reached the bed, some twenty metres from the doorway, in the clear middle of the whole chamber. And finally took in what their eyes had already been showing them.

Yami stared at the ceiling. He could hear everything going on around him, but he dared not glance that way and see, scared to death that he may just be imagining everything out of sheer will. He had wanted this to happen from the moment he had awakened to find himself trapped with Griffin again, but he was terrified it was all happening in the confines of his head just to distract him from what Griffin was _really _doing to him.

After the door had crumbled, he'd heard the fighting, and the growls of Griffin's monsters fill the air along with the so familiar voices that he had longed to hear for what felt like an entire lifetime. But just then, he'd heard the footsteps coming towards him, and he'd closed his eyes.

Suddenly Yami's breath caught. And the softest of touches glided over his cheek, trailing down to his jaw, gently sweeping away his hair with it.

There was only ever one person who could touch him so tenderly.

With renewed hope, Yami opened his eyes.

You could just imagine the relief that flooded through Yami as the prettiest amethyst eyes entered his view.

"Yami?" Yugi said anxiously. "Yami can you hear me?"

He sighed in relief, seeing his Dark's cerise eyes brighten in colour, despite the spell still around him, all out of pure happiness to see him.

"Hey there," Yugi said gently, lovingly brushing back Yami's blond locks from his eyes. "Are you hurt?"

Yami just stared at him out of pure happiness, but Yugi saw the flicker of doubt.

Yugi smiled reassuringly. "You're not dreaming."

The doubt vanished with the words.

Yugi passed a hand a few inches over Yami's form. "He seems fine," He sighed. "Griffin hasn't done anything to him yet."

"It's okay, Yami." Sakura said reassuringly. "We're gonna get you out of here."

"Right," Yugi said. He looked into Yami's eyes with love and sincerity. "I promise I'll keep you away from him, okay? He'll never have you, I swear on my life. Just hang in there."

Feeling so much better now reunited, the teenagers quickly got down to business.

Yami was still fully paralysed, and there just wasn't time for Yugi to figure out how to use his new power to break the spell over Yami; so Yugi and Sakura had to quickly fasten the halves of his shirt closed again, bodily pull him up, and drag him between them off the bed.

"We've got to get back to the gateway before Griffin notices what we're doing," Yugi said pulling one of Yami's arms across his shoulders and holding him as best he could.

"It's not following us anymore," Sakura stated struggling under the older teenager's weight. "It's stuck in the doorway to the dimension."

"It's just a path; the gateway can't come in here. They can't exist inside a realm." Yugi told her.

Suddenly, arms appeared on both sides of him, all grasping Yami and easily pulling him up and out of the grips of Yugi and Sakura.

"Come on," Seto ordered, holding Yami up by the waist. "We've got to go before Griffin realises we've killed all his monsters and what we're up to."

Bakura took up post on the other side of Yami. "God, pharaoh, you so have to lose some weight."

Suddenly a sharp cry slashed through the air, making everyone freeze, somehow knowing the plan had just taken a turn for the worst.

"Bakura! Seto!" Yue called suddenly, sending another arrow into one of the last remaining two monsters from high above them. "Hurry up! They are trying to get to the gateway!"

"We are hurrying!" Seto replied, exasperated. "Just distract them from us!"

"Just wait, you damn fairy!" Bakura yelled back.

"He's a guardian," Sakura told him.

"_I know that_!"

"Bakura!" Krysta shouted this time.

Bakura looked up at them, ready to explode into his own personal fit of rage. He couldn't help it; this lot just grated on his nerves more then was healthy.

"Will you quit calling-!"

"_Bakura_!" Krysta shouted again, much more urgently before.

"WHAT?"

"_Behind you_!"

Yugi whirled around, and stared up at three more hideous creatures towering over him. They'd just come straight out of nowhere to scare them all to death.

Without even thinking, Yugi raised a hand.

An arc of pure white light burst out of his palm, the sheer force of the action thrusting Yugi backward into Yami and the others directly behind him.

There were a series of groans as the teenagers piled into each other, painfully detangling themselves from each other. Yugi opened his eyes, feeling Bakura's glare on him before had even managed to sit up again - but what he saw first was the vivid cerise of Yami's eyes looking at him from where he lay on his front, opposite his Hikari.

"Yami?" Yugi said, pushing himself up.

Anxiously, he turned Yami onto his back, gently lifting his upper body into his arms.

"Are you okay?" Yugi asked, brushing back his Dark's hair.

From the look alone, Yugi knew Yami was okay, but he still looked very, very scared. And that was unnerving to say the least.

"What the…?" Krysta murmured, suddenly appearing in the pile of teenagers, having been swept along with them as Yugi had crashed into them all.

Yugi glanced away from his Dark, suddenly remembering what had just happened and looked up.

He stared.

There were three identical piles of ash on the ground a few metres before them.

"What did you do!" Seto half-yelled.

"I don't know." Yugi answered, still staring.

"Who cares?" Bakura exclaimed. "Let's get out of here!"

The gateway was only about ten metres away now, and the entire group, save for the two eldest, were back together again kneeling in the middle of the place between the gateway and the bed.

They _planned _to drag Yami up, then they _planned _to make a break for the vortex, then they _planned _to throw a mad yell over their shoulders for Leo and Yue to follow them out of the dimension and close it behind them.

But yet again, the plan was slashed before it came to pass.

It should have been more then obvious that was going to happen.

They really didn't know why they bothered with plans anymore.

They just never worked out.

* * *

Note – Okay, I'm not too great at writing fight scenes so sorry if they weren't descriptive enough.

Note 2 – Oh yes, for Griffin's creatures…I wanted you all to come up with your own imagined monsters so you could scare yourselves, but if you want my idea of what they'd look like – email me n I'll tell you! Haha.


	33. Arch Enemies

Note – Okie, like I said in my other update, I'm at university now so that means less time to write and post and I actually live in a student house now with all my friends n we don't have internet yet, so updates are gonna be even slower – trust me, NO ONE is more disappointed then I am, so no one try and be smart and piss me off. I remind you again, I have some temper on me and I adore being a writer so don't even try to get on my wrong side, you just wouldn't last.

Note 2 – hehe, I'm so glad people liked the last chapter, I know not much happened but I wanted to make people smile with Bakura and the little side comments (really tho, in the right light Yue could look like a fairy…maybe a GIANT fairy, but still…)

Note 3 – Yay! More long reviews! Thanx Anna! And you did it in a weird way too!

Note 4 – Yeah plans do seem like a good idea at first don't they Airbendersora? How quickly they go wrong…

* * *

Chapter 33 – Arch Enemies

A sharp cry of pain slashed through the air, capturing everyone's attention - and instantly making all their blood run colder then the waters beneath a glacier as they looked up in dread.

Silence fell.

Across the chamber, the last remaining jade sword fell from Leo's hand with a loud clatter of jade and gold over solid stone. Breathing rapidly and in agony, he backed up to the wall for support. Blood poured out of the massive open wound in his upper arm; the nerves and arteries were slashed making the arm useless, deep burns bordered the gash and flames smouldered through his blue and black robes.

Clutching his slashed arm, Leo looked up at Griffin defiantly, slipping down the wall slightly, desperately needing more support then it could possibly offer.

He looked even worse then he had done when he'd last shown up bloody, battered and needing Yue's support just to stand up. Several stabs, gashes and cuts riddled his body from the onslaught of Griffin's sword…which, the teenagers just noticed, wasn't an ordinary magical sword anymore.

Griffin had finally realised he was more powerful then Leo and poured more magical properties into his sword; including a searing dark flame all around the black blade.

Then he'd mercilessly taken it to Leo's form, taking full advantage, and playing dirty for all it was worth.

Griffin laughed callously; looking at the other's weakened form. "So much for your _skill_, Eclipse. Not so great and powerful now are you?"

Leo glared defiantly up at the other silently, not even dignifying him with an answer.

"Well?" Griffin demanded. "Still think I'm such a failed student? That's twice I've beaten you now."

Leo forced himself up, pressing a hand to the wound on his right arm. "You are a failed student." He replied. "No one else would resort to _stolen _magics just to win. That's just _cowardice_. I'm not even using my magics to fight you and I've made you just as bloody as me."

It was true. As close to death's door as Leo looked, Griffin looked just as worse for wear - and he'd been using Black Magic to his will whereas Leo had only used his magic to summon his sword, nothing more. Leo wanted to kill him just for the hatred that spanned five thousand years. That said a lot about the supposed '_skill' _Griffin claimed to have.

Yet again, rage flared through Griffin's eyes.

Leo smiled. "You don't think you're a coward? After all, you did _flee _your country after the people realised what you'd been the one to spread the lies to cause their war. You didn't even stay to face them. Then you had the audacity to go after a little kid who couldn't possibly fight back. Sounds like an act of _cowardice _to me. What's the matter? Couldn't find someone your own age? Or didn't you think you could control them just as easily?"

Despite everything, Leo laughed at him.

"Compared to us, you are nothing but a goddamn stupid brat playing with power that could so easily kill you, yet you just can't see what's right in front of your face. You don't even compare to us. You are _nothing_. "

In a flash, Griffin was standing before him, _towering _over him, trembling with contained fury - and pressing the point of his sword to Leo's throat.

"For every _word_, for every _insult_," Griffin seethed in soft lethal voice, his eyes blazing through the darkness. "For every _humiliating _time you _ever _defeated me, you WILL pay. Pay with your life, Eclipse. Right here, right now."

Leo looked into Griffin's green eyes, seeing the sheer truth behind them so clearly, he didn't even register the blade at his throat anymore. It was just so devastatingly clear what Griffin's future entailed, and he didn't need any magic to see it.

The universe will never show him mercy.

Everyone stared in pure shock as Leo slowly shook is head, still staring at Griffin who now faltered slightly, looking a little more haunted at the gesture from his prisoner.

"No…" Leo said softly. "_You _will pay Griffin. Pay with your soul, for every drop of innocent blood you shed, for all the evils you have committed, for degrading the life of a child _half _your age, and then unleashing Black Magic upon the mortal worlds again…you _will _pay. The gods will never forgive you."

Griffin glared down at him conceitedly, his grip tightening on his sword. "What makes you so sure?"

Leo felt the iciness of the sword press against his throat even harder, threatening to take his life at any moment. But he wasn't afraid; he had no reason to be.

After all, Leo still had an angel watching over him…

Leo smiled knowingly. "Because…"

There was the unmistakable sound of an arrow leaving its bow and searing through the air. Then the immediate world was filled with the unmistakable sound of the arrow hitting it's target with precise aim.

There was shocked silence.

Leo still looked at Griffin, never looking away. "… Karma has a way of being very, very real."

Griffin felt the blood pouring out before he'd even looked down. His clothes showed no red stain through the black silk shirt, but the hole housing the silver arrow was all too real.

Griffin stumbled back, his sword dropping from his hand as he touched the arrow sticking out of his arm. His own blood spilled from his torn arm, rendering it just as lifeless as Leo's with all tendons pierced and fragile meshes of nerves shot clear through.

But then, things took a turn from bad - to worse.

Despite the wound, Griffin began to _laugh_. And laugh, and laugh, and laugh…

Griffin glanced up at Yue, watching as the guardian lowered his bow, still gliding overhead of the other teenagers, looking like a moonlit archer in the sky.

Griffin shook his head pitifully, his green eyes hardening on him. "Wrong move Luna."

As bad feelings went, the one that circled every other person present had to be one of the absolute worst ever felt. If there was a word even worse then 'worse', it could be used to describe this situation.

"You forget," Griffin said grinning. He shrugged, easily moving his injured arm. "I'm already dead."

Yue raised his bow again, another arrow materialising. "And you underestimate me."

"How do you figure?" Griffin scorned derisively.

"I have a new magical source."

Griffin faltered, visibly startled at the statement, and suddenly knowing with devastating clarity just what he meant; mostly because the meaning of Yue's words was suddenly taking precedence in his own body…

Yue smiled, his feline eyes glinting oddly. "Feel pain?"

It took Yugi a moment to realised Griffin didn't look as composed as he had been before. The older teenager was suddenly looking a lot more unsteady.

Yugi's eyes widened as Griffin looked at him, an expression of pain flitting across his gorgeous face for a moment.

Then Yugi felt it. White Magic was streaming out of him, not all, but some, and not visibly. He could just feel it leaving him without him even knowing until that moment. And it was using Yue as another conductor; using him to seep into Yue's arrows.

Yugi suddenly remembered Yue could switch magical sources providing the source was strong enough to support him even if it was just for a little while. He'd just switched from drawing power from Sakura and Krysta to drawing magic from Yugi himself. Almost like he'd changed from drawing fully from the girls and pushed it aside to make room for Yugi's magic to take over momentarily.

Yue had actually channelled Yugi's power and allowed it to seep into his arrows.

And at that moment, the arrow currently embedded in Griffin was pulsing with White Light…and gradually leaking out in a creeping splay of spider lightning around the wound in his upper arm.

Yugi stared in pure shock, and gradually, so did everyone else as they caught onto Yue's drift.

The White Magic was breaking down the body Griffin was using from the _inside_. Griffin was still dead, so his body was forged from Black Magic so he could re-enter the mortal world. White quells Black; and right now, the blackness was breaking down under the onslaught of whiteness.

Yugi looked up from Griffin, to Leo and them to Yue as he cocked his bow again, taking precise aim.

"Think quickly, Griffin." Yue told him. "I have better things to do today."

Once more infuriated at the audacity, but all too aware of his condition, Griffin glared up at Yue, ripping out the arrow savagely from his arm. But even with the arrow removed, the White Magic was still in his body.

Griffin could sense the power of the White Magics now, but he still couldn't believe it enough to acknowledge just what it was. But he could sense the power; the opposite hand of the divine scales, the other half of the Yin-Yang.

But he still didn't know _who _it was coming from, only that Yue had played conductor for it just now.

Grabbing his sword again with his injured arm, Griffin pressed it to Leo's throat in a split-second again.

"I can kill you with one arrow to the chest." Yue told him.

"I can kill your lover in one slash of his throat." Griffin countered.

His gaze flickered momentarily from Yue, looking over all the other onlookers. He finally noticed them all clustered together in the middle of the chamber, mid-way between the bed and the door.

He stared at each of them, searching for the magical source, he _knew _couldn't possibly be there…

Griffin's eyes widened suddenly, a low growl escaping his lips in murderous rage.

It finally struck him that they had all taken Yami while he wasn't looking. They had had the audacity to enter his _own _dimension, distract him with an ancient rival, and all the while, discreetly steal his Prince away from him again.

And now _his _Yami was lying in the _Hikari's _arms…

Griffin's blood boiled. There was no question the hatred he felt, after so many years of seething from losing Yami once, he would never let him be taken from him again. And definitely by that bloody little Hikari…

Murderous rage flooded him as he focused on Yugi, thinking once more of the several ways he wanted to kill the Light, slowly, grotesquely…and offer the most excruciating of agony for the rest of his living moments…

But he couldn't explode and kill him yet for his actions, couldn't kill any of them yet - because his own life was in jeopardy right now.

"No one moves, or Eclipse dies." Griffin ordered, suppressing his anger for now. "And then, I will make Yami watch each one of you slowly and painfully be ripped apart by my creatures."

Across the chamber, the other teenagers tightened together again, knowing just what Griffin could do with all his power - and also now they were all trapped in his own domain. This was just prolonged suicide, and they all knew it.

"Oh no…" Sakura whispered anxiously.

Unwillingly, the others followed her gaze to the gateway, and all hopes fell in record time. Out of the blackness moulded four more of Griffin's creatures, guarding the gateway, and trapping them all.

"Great." Bakura sighed, sitting on the ground with the others. "This was fun at first, but now I'm bored killing those things."

Yugi reflexively gripped Yami tighter, sensing Seto hold Krysta down where she knelt to stop her running to her brother. Anxiety was rippling through everyone around him, but even more worryingly, Yugi could sense surrender coming from Yami himself. He had given up already, as if he knew something _more _then anyone ever anticipated.

All of them were silent and compliant to Griffin's command, and hoping against hope he didn't go off the deep end in a wild rage…or this was it for Leo.

But they also knew the White Magics were still invading Griffin's body - so he couldn't kill Leo, because Yue would just kill him back.

"Release him," Yue ordered. "Release him or die."

There was silence all round as Griffin looked up at Yue again arrogantly.

"Surrender and I'll release him." Griffin countered.

"You will die from that wound anyway," Yue said. "It's only a matter of time. White over comes Black, it's always been the way."

Griffin's voice was soft but laced with lethal seething. "Damn you Luna, this is all your fault! You couldn't just stay a Priestess could you? You just had to go and change everything! _Yami would have been mine if it wasn't for you_!"

Yue didn't rise to the accusations. "That is the past." He stated. "This is now. Let him go, or die where you stand."

The other regarded him icily, as if assessing the guardian.

"You wouldn't risk his life," Griffin stated. "You wouldn't _dare_."

Yue drew back the arrow further, taking perfect aim.

"You don't know me very well." Yue replied.

And let the arrow fly.

Then Griffin smiled.

Then he raised a hand.

Then Black Magics gathered, and they wrapped around the arrow in mid-air.

Then the direction of the arrow changed altogether.

And finally…

… embedded itself in Leo's chest.

* * *

Note – Oooo a proper cliffie for once. Anyway sorry I had to end it there, this chapter just took me ages to write, action scenes always do, and now I'm tired. Well I hope you like it, I promise I'll update again soon as the next part's done to my high standards! Oh and sorry if Yugi and Yami didnt feature enough in this chapter – but it is leading up to what'll happen next!


	34. Two Halves

Note – Right, as said before in my other update –I'M BACK! AND I'M BETTER THEN EVER! So sorry that its been so long to update, but I've been sick for two weeks straight, and I haven't been able to think clearly enough to write up until last night – so I wrote three new updates for all my fics for all of you!

Note 2 - Okay, now the reviews…

1 – Luv your reviews as ever Divine Seraphim…

2 – Ah Airbendersora, you made me laugh. You're the only one who picked up on my fatal flaw in grammar! I'm an English student at uni, and the then/than thing is the only thing I can never get my head round, so I just figured I'd do it the way I like it (I like my own way, its usually better then anyone else's). But still, thanx for the info, although I really can't guarantee I'll do it any better, so if it still vexes you – sorry, I can't help it!

3 – To everyone who love Leo and Yue as much as I do – YAY! I'm so glad you do, they are my ultimate best character couples. I just adore them.

Oh and Super-Sugarzoom – Leo and Yue do have their own fics! I adore this couple and I made up fics for them too! But I haven't posted them anywhere, but I could send you or anyone else interested a piece, I've been dying to get a review off someone for ages. Email me if you like.

And finally TenkunoMeiou…I'm glad you like this fic even if you don't like the pairing. Have a lollipop, actually, lollipops for all!

And for all other reviewers – luv you lots!

ON WITH THE STORY!

* * *

Chapter 34 – Two Halves

"No!" Several voices cried out in sudden terror.

But it was Yue's that stood out against the rest.

Griffin grinned looking up at him. "Oh but yes, lovely Luna."

Yugi gasped in stunned horror, the sound mixing in with all the others as they watched Leo step back against the wall under the sheer force of the attack, his breath catching in his throat from the shock.

"Oh my god…" Yugi whispered, tears filling his eyes.

The sensation of Yue's distress flooded through him unforgivingly. He could feel it so potently, so strongly, he just wanted to die for ever leading his friends into this situation.

Above him, Yue stared in horror at his boyfriend.

Leo's azure eyes were wide with shock, blood already pouring out of the wound as his hands flew to the arrow, half embedded in his chest. Staggering against the wall, Leo's breath stunted, his breathing suddenly and unforgivingly thrown out of sync as his lungs punctured under the arrow.

"You see," Griffin said watching the reactions of all present, but settling on Yue once more. "I _do _know you Luna, and I _know _you haven't changed much. You're still so beautiful, so daring, yet so adamant in your love for him. It's so sickeningly pure; it blinds you to me, just like it had done before. _I know you Luna_. You _would _risk your lover's life - but _only _if you were sure you would win."

He smiled nastily.

"It's just too bad you misjudged me isn't it?"

There were terrified and angered cries from below Yue, but he didn't hear them. Without thinking, the bow and arrow were gone in a shimmer of moon magics and Yue was at Leo's side, catching him before he fell to the cold ground.

"No…no, please be okay…" Yue whispered, tears filling his eyes as he gently lifted Leo into his arms. "Leo?"

Leo convulsed in his embrace, blood pouring out of his lips as he looked up at his boyfriend through pained blue eyes.

"Take it - out." Leo choked out in barely a whisper.

Cringing inwardly, Yue grasped the arrow, ignoring Leo's agonised moan, and pulled out the arrow from Leo's chest in one swift movement. Yue's heart tore as Leo cried out in excruciating pain, holding him tightly.

And then he stared at the arrow in pure shock.

The arrow was covered in his lover's blood. But it wasn't silver-white anymore. It wasn't made of a mix of White and moon magics any longer.

It was black. Pure black.

Sudden fear gripping him, Yue let the arrow fall from his shaking hands, holding Leo even tighter where he lay in his arms.

"I'm so sorry…" Yue whispered, pressing a hand to the open wound, trying to stem the bleeding. Inexplicably scared, he closed his eyes, still holding onto Leo in bordering desperation. "Please heal yourself."

Unable to speak any longer, Leo closed his eyes, trying to focus as more blood spilled from his lips from punctured lungs, being continually pumped out by a close-to-panicking heartbeat.

Yue watched as Leo tried. He watched the blue magics gather at the injury and glow through the darkness…

The guardian gasped suddenly.

The magics faded to in vibrancy… and vanished without a trace.

Opening his eyes, he looked up at Yue. And they knew simultaneously. Yue watched as Leo shook his head, knowing with unquestionable sincerity he couldn't possibly save himself.

Tears filled Yue's eyes.

And laughter filled the air. Cruel, calculating, malicious laughter.

"This is just too good." Griffin said blissfully watching more blood pour out from Leo's lips from internal bleeding, staring at the rapidly widening pool around the other. He grinned, glaring down at the couple he'd had millennia to hate to the core.

"Who says revenge isn't sweet?"

Leo and Yue looked up at him, pressed to the wall as far as they could.

They stared, first out of shock…then out of horror.

Griffin picked up the fallen black arrow.

"Of all the weapons people have come up with over my time away, I still like arrows the best," Griffin said idly. "They're so much more…_personal_. And of course, so much more _deceptive _then first perceived…"

Gasps encircled the chamber as Griffin lifted the bloody arrow to his lips…and licked off Leo's blood.

Yue's eyes widened, watching in horror as the other _enjoyed _the taste of his lover's spilt blood. Instinctively, he pulled Leo closer protectively, despite their immediate danger.

Griffin smiled, ignoring the gasps. "Arrows are especially deceptive when laced with…"

He chuckled, staring cruelly into Leo's eyes.

"_Poison_."

That was it. That was the reason Leo couldn't heal the magical-induced wound. He could feel the coldness of Black magical poison invading his body; his own magics couldn't possibly fight back against this power.

Despite everything, Leo glared back at him. "I will - get you for - this."

Griffin laughed derisively, listening to the stunted, laboured voice. "I would love to see you try."

Leo heard Yue gasp sharply first - then he felt the excruciating sting of being dropped by his lover's arms and back onto the stone floor. Ignoring every scream from his body's agonised nerves, he looked back at him, his heart racing even faster them before.

His froze in sudden dread.

Griffin had formed a magical rope - and used it to bind Yue's wings and tie up his arms before he could summon any more magic.

Before him, Griffin laughed, sensing the growing anxiety of his two prisoners. He held out a hand and once more, his sword flitted into his hand.

"Now you die," Griffin whispered, pressing the blade to Leo's throat again. "And this time…you _really _die."

Something flickered in Griffin's green eyes momentarily, making Leo's heart stop altogether.

He knew that look.

"But first," Griffin said suddenly.

The blade was taken away from Leo's throat - and pressed to Yue's heart instead.

"A little poetic justice," Griffin said viciously. He grinned. "You watch him die first."

"_STOP_!"

There was mass confusion.

Griffin would have thought the cry would have come from Leo, but it didn't.

It came from someone who didn't even know the word had fallen from his lips until Griffin had whirled around to him in sheer shock.

Yugi suddenly found himself standing up in front of all his friends. He could feel his heart pounding, he could feel the tears welling in his eyes that he refused to let fall. He could feel the trembles riddling through his body that he just couldn't let anyone see on the outside.

But he could also feel courage and guilt break out of him in a torrent of unforgiving emotions.

He had practically _let _Yami be taken by Griffin. He had _let _his friends help him get his Dark back. Yugi had _led _all his friends into this situation and now, he had _let _them all get caught by a person so far beyond evil, that there was only one force that could ever contend with him.

He was scared…but he was brave.

And he had the one last power that could make a dent in Griffin's armour.

"I'll deal with you later Hikari," Griffin snapped. "You'll die soon enough,"

"No," Yugi said, suddenly stronger then ever before. He gazed at the other levelly. "You can feel it can't you? The power you fear, the _only _power that that can stop you. You can _feel _it… _can't you_?"

Something in the atmosphere changed. It was almost like the initial stand off just before two armies charged into battle.

The first look at the enemy, the _only _look at the enemy - because that was the first, last and only time they would see each other with all their blood still in their own bodies.

Griffin had already _sensed _the power of the opposite hand, but he didn't _believe _it - he couldn't.

Griffin wasn't buying it.

"Creatures!" He commanded. "Kill them all!"

Yugi heard the frightened cries behind him, heard Leo and Yue struggle to get up and help them despite being incapacitated by Black Magic, and he saw his friends stand, ready to fight as ten of Griffin's monsters moulded out of the blackness, twice as big and twice scary than before.

And Yugi knew.

It will never work.

They will never win.

They will all die.

Yugi closed his eyes.

Something ignited inside him. Something he couldn't grasp fully but he did vaguely understand; but that was more then enough.

Yugi raised a hand to the oncoming beasts, turning to them as he ignored his friends' terrified cries for him to get back. And he felt the power explode out of him.

But this time, the breath wasn't ripped from his body out of the sheer force; he didn't even step back under the strength of the magics.

He understood it this time. Understood what the magic stood for, why it existed…and why Black Magic was afraid of it.

A ripple of pure whiteness flared out of Yugi from his hand, sweeping outwards in a wide arc, blasting clear through every one of the upgraded monsters, sending them screaming back into the original blackness of the opposite magic.

The White Magic dispersed, and Yugi looked up at Griffin with newfound understanding.

And so did he.

Staggering up from the onslaught of the opposite power, Griffin straightened up, the power not even giving him so much as a scratch. He looked at Yugi in a mixture of shock, denial, misunderstanding, realisation and…_worry_.

"It's you…" Griffin whispered, his green eyes wide.

Yugi looked back at him. "Yes."

He could sense all his friends staring at him now; they were all shocked beyond belief. It this was any other place and time Yugi would've laughed blissfully at their stunned looks, but right now, all he could think about was getting them all out of this place alive. And making sure Yami made it out with them too.

Yugi was willing to risk everything just for that.

Griffin shook his head, denial taking over. "It's…it's not…_possible_…"

Yugi looked up at him calmly. "It is."

Then he knew. Griffin knew the younger teenager was telling the truth. Yugi really was the other half of the divine scales.

Yugi watched him. Watched the expression of finally acceptance dawning on the other's face. Yugi was his equal - and Griffin knew it.

Denial gave way to anger.

"It cannot be! How could the gods have granted you the power of the White Magic!" Griffin demanded. "The other half is supposed to be sealed! The gods would never grant the power to a mere _Hikari_!"

"They didn't." Yugi said softly. "I unsealed the magics."

Griffin laughed callously.

"_You_? _Alone_? Never," He said derisively. "One heartbroken little Hikari cannot possibly unseal the second greatest power of all. You cannot possibly unseal the White Magic."

"I did." Yugi said calmly. "I protect her now."

Griffin visibly faltered, trying to hide just how haunted he suddenly felt.

"No matter," He stated dismissively. "You couldn't possibly defeat me _Hikari_. You don't even know how to use the power you've unlocked."

Yugi gazed at him levelly. "I know enough."

Yugi saw the other's eyes flicker momentarily to Yami and then back to Yugi again.

He's worried I could break the spell on Yami, Yugi realised suddenly. After all the gateway's free now, he thinks I could just let everyone escape and break the spell on Yami afterward, and then be ready again to fight him when he manages to get back into our world.

_That's what he's worried about. _

Griffin smiled. Slowly, steadily, calculatingly.

No…Yugi thought in yet mire sudden realisation. He's not scared I'll break the spell, he knows I don't know how to use my magic - he's worried I'll just keep Yami away from him…far away…and behind more spells and magic to keep Yami safe from him…

Griffin's eyes blazed with anger again.

"Where do you think you're going with my Prince?" He demanded, soft and deadly.

"I'm taking him home." Yugi stated.

"He belongs here!" Griffin snapped. "He's mine!"

"No," Yugi countered. "He's mine. He's my Dark side, my boyfriend, that makes him _mine_."

Griffin raised his sword again, taking a few menacing steps towards Yugi, until they were only a few metres apart. He growled lowly, his green eyes blazing angrily in the darkness, darkness that densed behind him as the Black Magics raised in a tidal wave of blackness, ready to strike the moment the battle cry was called.

"You will not take him." Griffin seethed. "Release him now."

Yugi's heart tore as he felt Yami's fear heighten behind him. He knew his Dark was still lying on the ground where Yugi had left him, and he could still see everything that was going on in front of him. And Yugi could sense the fear searing through his aura.

He was terrified Yugi and the rest of his friends might get hurt, and terrified that he might be trapped with Griffin again.

Alone.

"Never," Yugi said defiantly. "He's mine and I intend to keep him!"

Laughter filled the air. The same loud, cruel, calculating laughter.

"Still miss the obvious, don't you Hikari?" Griffin said derisively. "You still cannot see what is right in front of you."

Yugi's blood ran cold.

He sensed Yami's hopes plunge as he realised something that Yugi hadn't yet.

Griffin grinned nastily. "You forget little Hikari, I control Yami's body now."

Yugi almost collapsed under the momentarily-forgotten bombshell, but he determinedly held his ground.

"That's the only thing you control." Yugi countered. "His heart still beats for me."

Griffin chuckled amused. "Perhaps…but his heart's desire can be changed in time. But _you_ still don't seem to understand the seriousness of my spell. My _permanent _spell."

Getting more and more worried, Yugi tried not to let it show and still held onto his ground.

That just made Griffin's smile widen.

"You really can't see past your affection can you?" He said, amused. "They do say love can be blinding…but you surprise even me."

Yugi hesitated, unsure what he meant.

"Now," Griffin commanded. "Give him back to me and I will spare your life…for now."

Yugi stood protectively before Yami and his friends. "Never."

Getting more and more desperate, Yugi risked a glance behind him, seeing just how far away the gateway was from him and his friends.

His heart sank.

They were all still ten metres from the gateway, but even without Griffin's monsters guarding it, Yugi knew that was way too much of a risk to make a dash for. Griffin could so easily pick off one or two of them as they ran and Yugi just wasn't about to let that happen. Plus, Yue and Leo were still opposite them against the other wall, even further away from the gateway, with Griffin in between them and their escape, and they were both unable to go anywhere fast anyway. Yue was still tied up and Leo was still bleeding out and virtually dying in his lover's arms.

Everything had gone so wrong. So incredibly wrong and as much as Yugi hated to admit it, Bakura had been completely right about their history with plans going massively wrong.

If Bakura ever realised that, he'd lord it over them _forever_.

"It won't work," Griffin said, echoing Yugi's thoughts. "The moment you try anything, I'll slaughter those I can, take Yami back and let the rest leave and kill them soon enough…oh and I'll kill Luna and Eclipse in my own time - I'd like to savour the pleasure of their deaths."

Yugi stared at him, feeling more and more like the ground was disappearing under him. He'd brought his friends with him to have an edge over Griffin, but now Griffin was using them against him, knowing he'd never let anything happen to them.

"One last time Hikari," Griffin said menacingly. "Give Yami back."

Despite everything, Yugi's heart broke through and he recklessly believed Griffin couldn't do anything knowing they both held equal power.

Yugi looked up at him defiantly. "No."

Griffin shook his head pitifully, smirking. "I offered you a choice and you rejected it."

"You offered me an ultimatum, not a choice." Yugi shot back. "If I defied you and made a run for it, you would slaughter half my friends and steal Yami back without even a shred of regret. And if I gave him back, you'd still kill us and keep Yami anyway!"

Griffin's eyes shimmered with a black light. "It was still a choice." His eyes darkened further. "Now I'm taking your choice away."

Griffin smiled, watching the dread rise in the younger teenager. He looked so apprehensive, he just loved it. Loved the way he inflicted torment upon the Hikari without as much as a threat.

"It will be wise to heed your last warning, Hikari." He sneered. "Especially if you care for Yami as much as you say you do."

Yugi regarded him, getting even more worried at the knowing look in Griffin's eyes.

'_Griffin has power, and he also has intelligence and is the most evil person I've ever crossed paths with. It's a dangerous combination to say the least.'_

Leo's words flitted into Yugi's mind again, seemingly innocently.

_He's smart and he's evil and now he's got power…that is such a bad combination…and it sounds like he has another dirty trick up his sleeve in store for me and Yami…_

"What do you mean?" Yugi whispered, dreading the answer.

"I mean, you no longer have a choice." Griffin stated, visibly enjoying himself. "Give Yami back to me - or watch him die by your own refusal."

Yugi blinked, startled.

"W-what?"

Griffin smiled mysteriously. "I still control his body remember?"

He laughed at the other's obvious misunderstanding.

"Whether or not you manage to run off with him, Hikari; even if you forge a dimension of your own to keep me out - I will still control Yami's body. _Every _part of his body."

"I don't…" Yugi murmured in misunderstanding.

Like the gradual rising of a river's level, slowly creeping up to the top of the river's banks, the feeling that something seriously bad was happening grew and grew inside him, chilling him to the soul.

Griffin's smile widened. "My spell is permanent, and not tethered to my realm. So…in _any _place, in _any _time, I _still _control him."

Yugi's breath caught as Griffin raised a hand, the Black Magics rising agitatedly behind him, burning for blood.

Griffin clicked his fingers, invoking his magic.

"So… if I control Yami's body," Griffin said grinning evilly. "Who do you think …_allows _him to breathe?"

* * *

Note 1 - I know those who are reading this update after the Moonlit Water update have probably noticed that the chapter titles are the same - this is ENTIRLY INTENTIONAL. Both chapters deal with two halves in different ways. Hope you liked it!

Note 2 – Okay, seriously people, I need reviews of this chapter, I was a bit ill when I wrote it, but I hope its okay. Oh and sorry for another cliffie, the next bit's not ready to be posted yet.

Note3 – oh yeah, I'm still at uni n there's no internet in my house atm, so next update, next week!


	35. Tilt

Note – Hiiiii! Woo! New chapter up! And it's a long, long one! And it really did take forever to write!

Note 2 – Thank u all for the yelling (Ahem, Keeper of the Times and Hikari Skysong) and the great reviews (Anna again! And everyone else too!), you know I adore you all!

Note 3 - Hehe, you'e welcome Kailmoto.

Note 4 - Is that true Mystical Nonsense? Oooh which fic is it? I wanna see what Marik does if it's similar to mine.

Note 5 – Wow Twitty Kitty, you're really full-on – I love that! I'm glad you like my fic!

* * *

Chapter 35 - Tilt

The tiniest of sounds punctuated the air.

A sound like…that of a pin popping a minuscule balloon that was being held under a big fluffy pillow.

Yugi blinked.

The sound was so small, so quiet, so _not _threatening; it was so incredibly hard to figure out why it had suddenly chilled Yugi to the core.

Griffin smiled.

And Yugi whirled around.

Something was wrong. So terribly wrong. So incredibly wrong, Yugi's blood froze in his veins.

And he knew _exactly _what was so terribly wrong.

His eyes widened in pure horror as he gazed at the scene behind him. All his friends were suddenly in an arc just behind him, and kneeling all around Yami for some reason…and they all suddenly looked a whole lot more worried then they had been before.

His gaze settled on Seto who was kneeling down at Yami's side, gazing over him with a look of…confusion. But there was no mistaking the rising dread in his blue eyes.

Yugi stared.

"What…" He started, his voice trailing off in misunderstanding.

The strange chilling sound flitted through the air again.

Seto looked up at Yugi.

"What's wrong?" Yugi said again, the urgency clear in his voice.

"I-I don't know," Seto said, the falter showing just how anxious he was. "Yami just started…choking…"

Yugi shook his head in confusion. "How…?"

He felt the triumphant green eyes burning through his back, _felt _the evil laugher as it raged through the air even though uttered in a low, knowing chuckle of a tone.

It was Griffin. He was doing this…

"What did he do?" Yugi whispered, staring at Seto.

Seto didn't answer. He tried to, but he couldn't. There was something in his eyes that would just chill any other to the soul.

Yugi's gaze flitted down at Yami again.

And finally, Yugi understood.

Snapping into action, Yugi dashed to Yami's side, dropping to his knees in a heartbeat.

"Yami?" Yugi whispered, gazing down at his Dark in sudden dread.

Yami looked up at his Hikari. But the happiness wasn't there anymore. It was gone along with the renewed hope, and the bliss of not being alone anymore…

Yugi's heart tore looking down into once more terrified cerise eyes and sensing it searing through his Dark's aura all around him, frightened to the core of what was happening.

Yugi held back a scared sob as he looked over Yami fully. And it finally struck him exactly what Griffin had done.

His Dark's chest was still. Dead still.

The soft chokes accented the air again, frighteningly more spaced apart then before.

And Yugi stared into silently panicking crimson eyes…

Unable to take the suspense any longer, Sakura broke the mass of stunned silence. "What's wrong with him?"

Yugi stared down at Yami. "He's not choking." He whispered.

Seto frowned. "But -"

The realisation hit Yugi so hard, his own breath caught in his throat.

"He…isn't _breathing_…"

"Not quite." Griffin stated.

Ignoring the shocked yells, Yugi looked up at Griffin in sudden despair.

"What did you do!"

The other laughed again maliciously.

"He still has the ability," Griffin told him, his eyes glistening like emeralds. "I just turned off his lungs. Now you can watch him suffocate to death. It's more entertaining then just stopping his heart, don't you think?"

There was yet more shock - it was just inconceivable to any of them just how sick and twisted by bitterness one formerly-human being could ever be to another, just for the sake of his own enjoyment.

"How could you do this to him!" Yugi shouted, more upset then angry.

Griffin smiled at the tears that filled the other's eyes, regally crossing his arms across his chest as if already victorious.

"No, Hikari. _You _did this to him." He said cruelly. "I gave you a choice - and you _chose _to watch him die!"

"That's not what he said!" Seto shot back, now very scarily furious. "You goddamn bastard, let Yami go!"

"The Hikari refused to give him back…its only fair I give him another reason too." Griffin chuckled. "How about total respiratory shutdown?"

Yugi ignored the Griffin's laughter, knowing with sickening purity that it would never work; Griffin would never let Yami go. His heart breaking once more, Yugi gazed down into perfect, rare, crimson eyes, wishing more then anything things had gone a different way hours ago, then maybe, just maybe, none of this would have happened…

Yugi saw the caring in Yami's eyes, watching it dimming down more and more as his Dark began to lose awareness, dying right before Yugi's eyes as he heard yet more stunted breaths as Yami fought to breathe through lungs that were refusing to work.

With one last caress of Yami's cheek, Yugi stood up and faced Griffin again.

"Ready to give up now?" Griffin asked audaciously.

Yugi stared at him, determinedly holding back more tears and silently clenching his fists. "How could you do this to him?" He demanded. "If you love Yami as much as you claim - _how could you_?"

"Because _I_, Hikari," Griffin said mysteriously. "_I _get to keep him either way."

Yugi froze. "What?"

Griffin laughed. "This is my Realm, Hikari, my _world_. And I have power over blackened souls here. He is tainted by me, so his soul can be imprisoned by me. There is no distinction between life and death here. Yami can die and then his soul will still be tethered to my Realm for all eternity. Whether he lives or dies - he'll still be mine. _All mine_."

It was like the last brick of the bridge Yugi was standing on over a black hole had just been pulled out from under him. And then he was falling. Away from everything. Away from his confidence, away from his strength…and well away from Yami.

There was no way out now; and with a heavy heart, Yugi knew that.

"Of course, if he does die…" Griffin added idly. He looked at Yugi maliciously. "There is no way you could ever bring him back to your world, so you may as well give up now."

Yugi frowned. "If you can trap him here forever, why haven't you killed him yourself yet?"

"It takes time to create another body, a lot more time then I care to wait for." Griffin said dismissively. "And there is only so much fun I can have with a spirit. And in case you have yet to notice - I'm not a patient person. But if I have to - I _will_."

Torn for what to do, Yugi whirled around to Yami again, falling to his knees. Desperately, he looked over his Dark, trying to think of something, anything that he could do.

But there was nothing.

"Yami? Yami please stay with me…" Yugi pleaded in barely a whisper.

But Yami wasn't even responding to him now, his eyes were dimmed more then ever before, his pupils dilated and breathing stunting less and less with every passing moment. He was dying, suffocating from the inside and without a sound. It was only a matter of seconds still everything in his body shutdown completely from lack of oxygen, unable to cope.

Yugi watched as those once striking crimson eyes slid slowly to his own, filled with such love and regret, tears were already welling.

He sensed his Dark's aura change. Changing to one of defeat, absolute defeat.

Yami already knew what Yugi was going to do. There was never any doubt about it. But the fact still remained.

He will never be free.

"Yami please don't do this," Yugi begged, trying not to fall into hysteria. "Please! Please! Just don't give up!"

It was no use. Yugi could sense him, could feel him surrendering, giving in, letting Griffin win…

He couldn't take it. Couldn't handle Yami ever being beaten underhandedly, ever being stolen away, ever being _used _so sadistically like this…

It was too much.

There was light.

No, there was _Light_. White Light.

For a moment everything was engulfed in pure White Light. The power just came out of nowhere, flaring out of Yugi as if on it's own accord - but no, that wasn't the case.

Yugi had triggered something. In his grief, in his love, he'd unlocked a secret within the magics, a secret that had been hidden for millennia upon millennia.

A secret within a secret.

A secret within the White Magic.

And with the power - came the knowledge. Not all…but enough.

His anger sparking off again, Griffin fought back the White magics, with a furious roar and re-summoning his swords to fight it back. But he didn't have to for long.

The moment of Light passed - and the dimension returned.

But there was one BIG difference.

So big, no one could even find their voices to express even the tiniest of sounds.

Well, except for one.

"Wow." Bakura said.

And there was avid agreement. That pretty much summed everything that had happened up entirely.

Griffin stared in utter shock. It was becoming a familiar feeling.

"It's - It's," He stammered, wide-eyed. "It's not…possible…"

Directly opposite him, still standing protectively before all his shocked-to-daze friends, Yugi regarded him levelly.

And brandished his new sword with all the skill of the ultimate master swordsman - and aimed it at Griffin's heart.

"_Let_. _Him_. _Breathe_." Yugi said soft, but deadly serious.

The broken little Hikari was changed yet again - but this time, he _knew _what he was doing, and he _knew _how to handle it. The knowledge was there in his mind, just flooding into him out of nowhere; so much knowledge…streaming on and one in great reams through Yugi's mind, but he only understood a fraction of that - and that was all he needed right then.

But as the saying goes - knowledge equals power.

And now, Yugi had one golden eye, and one amethyst.

One secret equals one half. Find the secret, solve the secret - and unlock the power beyond. It's the way it's always worked.

Yugi had unlocked half of the ultimate power of the opposite hand - and figured out enough of it to actually _invoke _the magic itself…

Griffin still stared, stunned.

"The Destiny Sword…" He breathed, his green eyes wide with shock. "It cannot be…"

Yugi's stare intensified on him. "The one and only."

He watched Griffin falter, shocked that Yugi knew what he was holding.

"No," Griffin denied, shaking his head. "No! It isn't possible! There is no possible way! How could you unlock half the power in mere minutes! It took me three thousand of years to do the same!"

Yugi gazed at him levelly. "I'm a fast learner."

Griffin visibly recoiled as Yugi wielded the sword. Its blade swished through the air flawlessly, showing all the majesty of the White Magics all in one simple form; the form of a pure diamond-like blade strong enough and fine enough to sever the thinnest thread of silk clean down the centre. The crystalline blade shimmered with pulsing White Light, flaring incredibly within the sword's bounds, shimmering like an entire cluster of miniature galaxies fused into the smallest of spaces, and yet shone out nonetheless, portraying it's beauty no matter the expanse.

The pulsing blade of the sword was only half of the weapon's sheer craftsmanship, the blade itself was in-cased in the most exquisite platinum filigree, trailing down from tip to the hilt, which in itself was a masterpiece.

This was The Destiny Sword; a weapon forged of the most powerful magic _ever_.

_And _it was the foremost weapon in battling against Black Magic.

The blackness _knew _that.

And now Griffin _knew _that too.

And it _worried _him.

Mostly because he could sense he own power recoiling behind him, frightened just by the sheer notion that the White Magic that had so imprisoned it forever-ago was so close to doing it again.

Finally, shaking off his shock, Griffin instantly summoned a sword of his own again, clashing swords with Yugi across an expanse of five metres.

Yugi could see the uncertainty in the other's eyes. He could also understand the magic flowing through him, making the blade pulse in his hands and the skill of a master swordsman flood through his soul.

_Griffin doesn't know what I know, and he **knows **it. And it **scares **him…_

Yugi regarded him. "Last time Griffin." He said warningly. "Let Yami breathe."

The air densed inexplicably.

Still flustered, and well aware of his own retreating magics, Griffin hesitated.

And then, to the relief of everyone - Griffin allowed Yami to breathe again.

Relieved, but not for long considering where they were, Yugi risked a glance behind him and looked into once more scared-but-okay crimson eyes, noting with renewed hope that his Dark was easily breathing on his own again.

He turned his attention onto his arch enemy again.

Griffin glared back arrogantly. "So you've summoned the Destiny Sword, _Hikari_; you probably don't even know how to use it -"

"That would make you very wrong."

Griffin visibly faltered again, obviously thrown off by the calmness in his adversary's voice.

"What?"

Yugi blinked, allowing the magic within him to subside slightly, offering back his usual amethyst eyes with only the faint shimmer of awakened White Magics to give him away.

"You have to let Yami live." Yugi stated. He raised the sword with all the grace attainable from a deadly weapon. "Because if you don't…"

There was the strangest of sounds.

A sound created by light; the sound of the White Magic intensifying to pulse even stronger through the sword.

Yugi brandished his sword. "…You'll be sorry."

With a startled cry, Griffin stepped backward, new, excruciating pain suddenly flaring unforgivingly through his arm. Startled, his gaze shot down - and stared at the wound Yue had created earlier from one of his White magically reinforced arrows.

He stared in shock.

The wound was suddenly searing with White Light, burning brighter then ever before. And burning straight through him ten times faster then Yue's wound had committed before.

"No…" He whispered, in denial. He shook his head, his eyes wide. "No! You can't know this! It isn't possible!"

He could feel his blood gushing out once more, although he couldn't see it in the black shirt…but it was there with the whiteness, that was for sure.

Griffin looked up at Yugi through the pain and the anguish, glaring at him despite it all.

"How -!"

"You know what The Destiny Sword can do Griffin, and I know too." Yugi told him.

He gestured to the still blazing-white wound in Griffin's arm, breaking him down from the inside out much, much faster then the wound created by Yue's arrow.

"It can enhance any spell created in the same place as the sword." Yugi said. "That wound will consume you in minutes at this rate, but I can make it faster if I have to. But if you kill Yami first…"

He glared levelly at the other, wielding his sword.

"For all you have done, I will show you no mercy." He stated. "I will destroy you."

Yugi could feel the stares on him, all stunned to the core at how much he had changed right in front of their eyes. It just seemed so incredible, all the onlooker's tongues just seemed to have paralysed in pure shock at what was happening; all just staying where they were in the big cluster in the middle of Griffin's Realm, just…watching.

Watching the clash of the super-powers happening before them.

There wasn't anything else they could do. They were all caught in the middle of a war well out of their league.

Yugi watched as Griffin raised a hand again, brandishing his sword and aiming it at Yami again. He could sense the other's pain; Griffin was in agony under the gash in his arm, still burning with light shining a thousand times brighter then magnesium can burn.

He also saw rage glisten in the other's eyes, blazing with the same ancient bitterness welled up inside him, spanning five thousand years.

"The odds still haven't changed Hikari," Griffin shot back mercilessly, gripping his bleeding arm and wincing as the whiteness scathed his very hand. "Destiny Sword or not - the ultimatum still stands. Give Yami back to me, or I'll kill him right now!"

Yugi raised the Destiny Sword again.

"No, the ultimatum's changed." He said. "My spell is tied to your realm. All magics cast here - stay here. Your realm isn't a free world like ours is, magical spells can't span out of here, so where they're cast, they stay, and when the source leaves the world - the spell breaks. Let us all leave and my magic invading you dissipates. If I'm gone, my magic goes too."

Gasps sounded all around them.

But Griffin just smiled.

"You forget Hikari," He replied cruelly. "Yami is still under my control. My spell is un-tethered, forged out of any dimension, so it'll always stay over him unless _I _set him free."

"But you're still dying," Yugi countered. "Now you have no choice but to take my offer. You have to let me take Yami back if you want to live more then a few minutes."

Griffin grinned. "On the contrary, there's a little flaw to your plan."

Yugi hesitated, suddenly thrown clear out of sync.

"F-flaw?"

"You can leave if you wish Hikari," Griffin said coolly. "But you have forgotten something very, _very _important."

Yugi's breath caught in his throat as Griffin slowly raised his sword…and let the blade drift gradually to his right, in one, long…point.

And Yugi's plan failed once more.

"Oh no…." He whispered.

The Destiny Sword lowered in his hands from the devastating realisation.

All eyes followed the path of the pointing black sword. And all hopes simultaneously fell.

Griffin was gesturing to Leo across the chamber, now propped against the wall in a desperate need for support. He was still bleeding from the chest wound, dying where he lay from the poisoned arrow Griffin had set onto him, with Yue still struggling to break out of the chains, just to hold his dying lover…

Yugi stared at them, tears welling in his eyes again.

That was it. His resolve was over, and Griffin had known all along.

Yugi couldn't sacrifice one to save them all - he just couldn't, no matter how much Leo was pleading with his eyes for him to take the ultimatum, and leave them here so the others could get out.

All magics summoned here, _stay here_.

Leo and Yue were the flaw in his plan.

"The black poison in him is tethered to my Realm," Griffin stated, echoing his thoughts in the cruellest of ways. "If Eclipse stays, Eclipse dies - is that what you want Hikari?" He grinned evilly. "Could you leave him here to die just so out could keep my Prince?"

Yugi didn't answer, he didn't know how to.

"A new ultimatum for you Hikari," Griffin said, clearly enjoying himself. "You give Yami back, and I'll allow you to leave with Eclipse and Luna and all your little friends."

He saw the look of horror Yugi's eyes.

And smiled.

"It's not really a choice is it? More like…and _order_."

It was a standoff.

But everyone _knew _it wouldn't be for long.

Yugi gazed up at him. The ground was falling away again; as hard as he was trying to build a bridge over the expanse - it just wasn't working. Griffin was still right there to kick at the foundations before the structure even had the chance to stabilise.

It was all going wrong again, and he just wasn't figuring it out fast enough to outwit Griffin at his own game.

'_Griffin has power, and he also has intelligence and is the most evil person I've ever crossed paths with. It's a dangerous combination to say the least.'_

Leo's words flitted into his mind again. And it was true, all true. Yugi was too good, too pure to play a devil's game. And Griffin had had several millennia to think this through a lot more then Yugi usually did.

Plus, what made the odds so uneven at that moment was…the side of good didn't have the heart to cheat. And that really didn't matter to the side of evil. Which was why Griffin was playing the cheat's hand to its full potential. He was using the fact that Yugi was good to attack him where it hurt most.

That was his fatal flaw.

And as great as the power he possessed now was, Yugi didn't know how to use it all and that made him even more vulnerable. Griffin knew his magic, but Yugi was still learning, still trying to grasp the power and use it to his advantage. As much as White Magic could work through him on its own accord to help him out, it still needed him as a medium; needed someone to tell it what it wanted from her. An idea, a notion, an inkling, anything that the White Magic could understand enough to cast out and help her protector as much as he wished…

But Yugi couldn't see a way out. He'd tried everything he could think of, and he was still lost in a tide much too big to find the surface, let alone try and swim out of it.

Yugi closed his eyes.

There was no other way out.

He really didn't have a choice.

"Okay." He whispered, letting the tears fall.

There were stunned shouts behind him as he turned around to his friends, hearing the yells escalate into anger. He looked up, only to find himself surrounded by his friends.

"Yugi what're you doing!" Seto demanded furiously.

"What I have to," Yugi whispered.

Sakura shook her head vigorously, staring at him. "Yugi can't just leave Yami here!"

"You know what he's going to do!" Krysta exclaimed, just as horrified. "How could you!"

Yugi gazed at her through broken eyes, knowing in his heart of hearts she didn't truly understand the scope of what he was dong right then…but she would soon enough.

"I have no choice." He said softly. "I can't let anyone get hurt - not because of Griffin. Never to him."

Ignoring all their protests, Yugi turned back to Griffin, composing himself as much as he could.

"Yue and Leo come with us, and you cannot follow or harm anyone." Yugi commanded. His heart twisted with sheer agony, unable to stand his own words. "And I'll give you Yami."

There was a series of resounding 'No!'s all around him.

Griffin smiled. "Deal."

There was the chink of metal as the chains around Yue were released, setting him free once more, letting him lovingly grasp his boyfriend in his arms.

"Bakura, Seto help them," Yugi told them, keeping a careful eye on Griffin.

But Griffin looked content just watching them arrogantly from his place still five metres away. Sure that he wasn't going to try anything, Yugi led all his friends back to the gateway, still stuck in the doorway, leaving Yami where he lay and being careful not to look at him - knowing he'd just shatter like a china doll the moment he did.

"Yugi - don't -" Leo tried, leaning heavily on Yue's and Seto's support.

Yugi shook his head, looking up at him through guilty, saddened eyes. "I have no choice Leo." He told him. "The poison in you is tied to this world, as soon as you step through, the power will sever and it will dissipate and you'll be okay."

"But -"

"I know," Yugi said cutting him off. "But if I just waited until he was destroyed, you'd be dead first, and he'll kill Yami here anyway just to keep him tied to this world and I'll never be able to free him."

Krysta gasped in realisation. "Oh my god…"

"Yes." Yugi said hollowly. "I have to do this."

Leo shook his head. "No…"

Yugi glanced at him. "You'll never survive here, Leo, and you know that."

Yue looked at the little teenager as Leo collapsed against him, unable to protest anymore.

"What are you going to do?" He asked anxiously.

Yugi stepped back, looking at all his friends. They really were all his friends, no matter how strong-willed, how much they loved to yell at him, or make snide remarks, or cuddle him just because he was cute…they were all his friends. And they were all so dishevelled, so cut and bruised, so defeated by a forced so much stronger they were…and yet they had all walked right into battle, just to help him and Yami out.

They really were great.

"Yugi there has to be some other way," Krysta pleaded.

"There must be," Seto stated.

"No, there isn't." Yugi said. "As long as Yami's under that spell, Griffin can do anything to him. And he will kill him, just to keep Yami here forever."

He stopped Seto before he could protest.

"You're not the type to dispute facts and you know it."

Seto stopped.

Bakura frowned. "What's to say he won't do it as soon as we leave?" He asked. "That's what I'd do."

"You heard him," Seto said. "He has no patience, he wants his way with Yami - he won't wait to create another body for Yami so he can play with him."

Yugi looked at all his friends again.

"This isn't over." He told them sincerely. "Just remember that."

The group exchanged glances, unsure what to derive from that.

"You need to go." Yugi said.

With heavy hearts, they agreed.

"If you think this is best." Sakura said softly.

Yugi closed his eyes. "No…it's necessary."

And finally, with one last glance at Yami and last glare at Griffin, the teenagers stepped through the vortex, and well away from Griffin's dimension.

And then Yugi was alone.

His heart breaking, he slowly turned around and glanced back. Griffin was still standing five metres away from where Yami lay, not yet claiming his prize - but instead standing haughtily, knowing just how much Yugi was hurting right now and malicious enough to prolong it.

Unable to stand it, Yugi walked back to Yami's side, ignoring Griffin's triumphant gaze and kneeled down, gently drawing Yami's attention.

Yugi bit his lip as Yami's eyes slid to him. Those cerise eyes were so vacant, so devoid of anything…it was more then clear Yami had understood everything that was happening.

Yugi was going to leave him here, in the hands of a sadistic monster.

"Yami?" Yugi said softly, lovingly caressing his cheek.

Something flickered in his Dark's eyes, and then pure love flooded back in one big tide.

Yugi felt tears welling in his eyes again, streaming freely down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry…" Yugi whispered.

And lovingly, leaned down…and kissed Yami's lips.

"I'll come back for you, I promise." He whispered. Yugi looked at him with all the love he had. "He'll never have you. You're mine. Only mine."

The flicker died. The eyes emptied. And Yami gave up entirely.

Yugi forced himself not to cringe, not to crumble, not to show any sign to let Griffin know the pain he was in, or the surrender that Yami had so sold his soul for.

He couldn't let Griffin have the last triumph, he just couldn't.

He stood up and walked back to the gateway, unable to stem the tide of tears streaming down his cheeks, or the aching tearing of his heart.

Once more standing before the vortex, Yugi turned back to look at the last two occupants once last time.

Yami was still lying on the floor, gazing sadly at Yugi, his cerise eyes filled with tears of desolation.

And despite all pain, all anguish, all heartache, determination flared through Yugi's very spirit.

His gaze settled on Griffin with all the resolution of a declaration of war.

"This isn't over." Yugi stated.

Griffin just smiled.

"It will be," He replied.

And then, with a heavy heart, Yugi left his lover in Griffin's bloodstained hands.

* * *

Yami couldn't stop the tears from falling as he watched the vortex close. Slowly, gradually, the gateway to his world, his life, shut down completely, taking away the brilliant light that had renewed his hope, and brought his true love back to save him…

Grief burst silently through his heart.

…and now it was closed. And the blackness reined all around him. Laughing silently in its victory…

The gateway had taken away the hope it brought, and stolen back his true love…along with his only chance to get away from the one being that frightened him to the core…

Yugi had left him.

Left him to be used…exploited by a monster.

The tears fell from his eyes.

And then he felt the cold hand on his shoulder.

The darkness of the dimension flooded in on all sides again, dousing everything in the blackness of the very fabric of the world around him.

And then Yami was gazing up into sparkling emerald green eyes.

The other grinned.

"Playtime." Griffin whispered.

* * *

Note – This is turning out to be the most complicated thing I've ever written. And the most twisted thing i've ever written!Which his why the next part will be posted next week!

Note 2 – Those waiting for the 'Moonlit Water' update are gonna have to wait a few more days, its getting a bit complicated too, but don't worry! I've finally figured out how it's gonna end! (And now I'm sad it'll end at all…)

Till next time!

Luv Nefertari


	36. Soul Destruction 1

Note – Hey people! Wow, its been ages since I've updated, god even I didn't realize it – especially since by all rights I should be studying right now. But what the hell, enjoy!

Note 2 – Oh and thanx for the reviews!

* * *

Chapter 36 – Soul Destruction 1

"What's going on?" Joey half-yelled a minute later. "Why did you leave Yami with that monster!"

Yugi didn't even look up, hiding his face as he cut off his power to the gateway.

"He had to," Krysta said softly, helping her brother onto the sofa.

Seto matched honey-brown eyes with equally blazing blue ones, taking the attention away from Yugi.

"There was no choice!" Seto snapped. "Didn't you hear us out there!"

"Yeah! When the sound finally kicked in, we heard the last bit! But I still don't get it! How could you leave him there?"

"Joey this isn't helping," Sakura said gently. She looked up at him pleadingly. "Please don't make this any harder."

Joey stared at her, so did Mokuba, so did Ryou and so did Tea.

"What aren't you telling us?" Ryou asked softly.

"You had loads of opportunities to stick your sword into Griffin!" Tea exclaimed.

Yugi closed his eyes, turning away from the searching gazes. "I know."

"Then why didn't you?" Mokuba asked.

Yugi's voice was sad, laced with heartbreaking truth.

"If I kill Griffin, and he still has that spell on Yami…he'll never be free."

There was silence.

"Hang on…" Joey murmured.

"You mean…" Sakura started.

Yugi bit his lip and nodded, still not looking at them.

There was a little more shocked silence.

"Total paralysis for the rest of his life." Seto finished gravely.

"And that will really suck big time." Bakura added, genuinely trying to be tactful, even if it was going horribly wrong.

"The spell's permanent," Leo told them, sitting up on the sofa, now almost fully recovered from the arrow wound. "It won't break if we take him away from Griffin's dimension. Even if you kill Griffin, the spell will just stay on Yami forever. Griffin has to be the one to take the spell off."

"Even with all the power of the White Magics, you cannot break the spell alone?" Yue asked.

Yugi shook his head again.

"Griffin didn't realise it, but I did, only I figured it out too late." Yugi bit his lip, fighting back the urge to break down completely. "I don't understand my magic enough to kill him and take off the spell on Yami by myself. He has to break the spell. I didn't realise it until just then. I don't know enough to free Yami without Griffin's help."

The group glanced at each other feeling even more wretched then before. The future really did look bleak for Yami. And they were running out of options fast.

Griffin had the upper hand, he had had it from the moment he had walked into Yami's life again. And he'd had several millennia to consider this entire plan. That's thousands of years to work out all the kinks. And he was clever enough to deal with the onslaught of the only other source that could possibly take him on.

It seemed hopeless now.

Yami really was lost.

And Yugi just wanted to die.

"The vortex is still open." Bakura said, breaking the silence.

Startled, everyone glanced at him.

He glared at them out of habit. "Well it is, I was just saying."

All eyes turned to the wall where the gateway had been. Sure enough, it was still there.

Everyone stared.

So did Yugi. He was the only one who suddenly felt like there was something very, very wrong about this little detail…

"See?" Bakura said pointedly.

"What's going on?" Ryou asked, confused. "Didn't you just close it?"

"Er…should we be worried that it's suddenly darker around the rim?" Joey asked hesitantly.

Yugi didn't answer; he couldn't.

There was that feeling again. That feeling at the back of Yugi's mind that kept on nipping at him, getting harsher and harsher each time until he finally understood what it all meant…

"The gateway's still open?" Sakura said, wide-eyed. "But I thought Yugi forged it and closed it…"

Her voice trailed off, and silence fell. Mostly because Yugi was standing before the vortex once more.

"It was supposed to close…" Yugi murmured.

He suddenly looked so haunted, the room temperature just seemed to plunge into sub-zero.

"No…" He whispered, staring in rising dread.

The vortex was indeed still open

…only not all the way…

Bakura frowned, pulling his Hikari behind him and gripping Ryou tighter.

"I don't like this." He said seriously. "This is wrong."

"What do you mean?" Tea asked, glancing at him.

Bakura went to answer, but something stopped him. Something so sinister, even he would never have dreamt of it…

"Yugi?" Joey said quietly.

One look at their little friend was enough to know what was happening, definitely was much, much worse that _bad_.

There was dead silence.

Yugi shook his head, staring. "No…" He whispered, breaking down.

The gateway was open.

Only not all the way.

Nothing could pass through, just… watch.

And right now, they were watching Griffin walk over to Yami… gently tug his shoulder…and turn Yami onto his back to see into his terrified eyes…and then smile that frightening smile of a fate much worse then death…

Only Griffin hadn't smiled at Yami - he's smiled through the gateway.

"He's keeping it open." Yugi whispered, staring fixated.

Seto shook his head in misunderstanding. "What? Why?"

Yugi clasped his hands to his breaking heart.

"To kill me." He whispered.

Detachedly, Yugi fell to his knees, staring into the gateway, staring into another world. A world that seemed so much further away with every passing moment…

He watched as Griffin gently, almost lovingly scooped Yami into his arms, throwing another triumphant smile at Yugi through the vortex, and carried the former pharaoh back to the elaborate bed.

Yugi what was going to happen.

He knew.

And it really did…kill him.

Through the silence he watched.

His friends faded from his vision, his attention, his entire world. And all he could do…was watch.

He watched Griffin gently lay Yami back on the bed, almost lovingly lowering him onto the luxurious sheets and pillows, but exploiting touch way more then was necessary.

Griffin was touching his boyfriend. His Dark, his other half. The half that balanced him, made him whole.

Griffin was violating his lover.

And there was nothing Yugi could do - but watch.

Helpless. Cast out. Defeated.

Yugi's life shattered.

Literally.

* * *

Yami felt the touch, but he didn't care anymore. Rough, rugged hands undressing him, cold lips and tongue exploring his form in sickening ways - he could feel it all. But he still didn't care. He'd given up. He'd been running away from Griffin for what had seemed like an eternity when aged just thirteen; he should've figured out by now that it was futile.

Those three weeks he spent trying to avoid him, hiding from him, desperately not wanting even see him let alone be left with him, it had never worked. Even with all the hiding places in the Palace, Griffin always managed to find him and back him into corner again with that leering look that Yami had so hated aged just thirteen…

Griffin would always have found away back to steal him again. There was never any doubt. Death would never have stopped him.

From that first moment out on the grounds before the Great Palace, the moment he had looked into those green eyes - he knew he'd never be rid of him. There had been something behind those green eyes, something that had seen death too often, shed too much blood to be ever called human again.

He was a monster.

And he had cursed those words of vengeance before his death, cursed the words that he'd be back for him all that time ago and now they were coming true. No, they had always been true, Yami knew that now…he had just never thought, never dreamed, they could become anything more then empty threat…

Five thousand years had passed. He'd been granted another life, another love, another crack at having a future - and he had thought that Griffin would ever find a way back from the desecrated grave he had been sealed in all that time ago.

Yami couldn't fight anymore. There was no point.

And just like before, his power was snatched away, his life reduced to meaningless, and his lover had left, gone much too far away to help him any longer…

He'd tried, and he'd failed.

He didn't care anymore.

He didn't have anything to care about.

It was over.

* * *

"Hmmm, alone at last…" Griffin sighed, running his hands down over Yami's chest. He smiled lustfully, pulling the halves of his captive's shirt apart. "And so much more…cooperative."

He gazed over Yami, noticing the defeated look of once confident ruby eyes, staring in surrender at the ceiling above.

He smiled.

Those crimson eyes were devoid of hope, of salvation, of any wish of anything evermore.

It was wonderful…

Smiling, Griffin cast a glance over his shoulder, the superiority and triumph rushing through him as stared into the gateway - stared into the exact same eyes of his captive.

Only these eyes, were amethyst.

But they were well and truly broken.

This was too _good_…

Griffin watched the Hikari crumble inside, enjoying the view of Yugi's destruction through his own beautiful eyes.

Griffin leaned down over Yami - and traced his touch down the centre of Yami's chest, further and further down.

And loved the result of absolute nothing. No defiance, no resistance, not even a trace of the natural rebel Yami used to be.

But to make it ever more grotesque…

"Yami," Griffin said lovingly. His eyes flashed black as he caressed Yami's cheek. "Put your arms around me,"

He leaned closer, his voice dropping so only Yami could hear.

"Do it…like you want me."

There was no way to resist it.

His own body felt alien to him. Yami's arms raised without even consulting him first. Sickened to the core, he felt the luxurious softness of Griffin's silk shirt under his hands, and hated himself and he pulled the halves apart and explored beyond, just as Griffin had ordered.

The skin was so cold - dead. Like caressing a corpse.

Yami surrendered, Yugi broke, but Griffin laughed.

Destruction was so very, _very _entertaining…

* * *

Tears filled Yugi's eyes, unable to look away.

He began to tremble where he stood.

His heart went still.

He didn't want to watch, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. He had to know, had to know the fate of his lover, no matter the scars it caused or the wounds it left to rot and fester deeper and deeper.

Griffin was playing.

It struck Yugi so hard, slashed so deep into his heart.

He was playing with them both. He watched Yami and he hated Griffin. He was playing Yami for the sake of violating him, and he was playing with Yugi for the sake of torturing him in the most sadistic way possible.

Yugi held back a sob as Griffin attacked Yami's neck, laying lust filled kisses over unreactive flesh. He saw Yami slid his palms over Griffin's chest to his back, pulling down his shirt only to slip his arms around the monster that had imprisoned him within his own body. And he watched Yami pulled Griffin into a poisoned kiss.

Yugi knew full well that Yami didn't want to do this. He was being forced into doing it, but Yugi still couldn't bear it, couldn't watch his lover being used so heartlessly like this. He also knew, this was killing Yami a thousand times worse then it was killing him.

He focused on Yami's eyes, desperate to find at least a flash, a flicker of defiance, any sign that Yami was still there, that his heart was still beating for his Light and still fighting back for all it was worth.

But Yugi saw none.

All he saw, was those once confident, daring cerise eyes that had filled Yugi with such energy whenever cast on him, reduced to nothing but staring orbs, fixated on nothing.

Devoid of anything.

Yugi could watch anymore.

He looked away.

And let the tears consume him.

* * *

Yami didn't know it, but he felt Yugi. Felt the distress take him over, and felt his little Light, his flame in the darkness, vanish into the gloom.

His freedom was stolen away and Yugi had walked out of his life forever.

The tears welled.

There was no salvation.

* * *

Something wet dripped onto Griffin's wrist.

Startled Griffin stopped invading Yami's ear with his tongue.

The drop had felt warm, light, almost insubstantial.

Inexplicably unnerved, Griffin froze for a millisecond, forgetting absolutely everything except for that one sensation.

He even forgot about the lustful task of roaming around the inside of Yami's leather pants, taking full advantage.

Griffin blinked, pushing himself up from Yami, letting the other's arms fall limply from around him and lie back against the bed. Confused, he stared down at his Prince, enigmatically curious as well as haunted by that one, tiny sensation…

On his wrist, that was currently braced against the pillows by Yami's head - was one, single…tear.

Griffin blinked again, he felt another drop. He stared as the tear trickled over his hand, and dissipated into the pillow beside him,

And then another tear dripped onto his hand, following the tracks of the first.

Then another…

…and another…

…and another…

Silent, crystalline, _innocent _tears.

The hollow feeling grew within him as his gaze snapped to Yami's eyes, and something deep down inside him…shivered.

With the moments the shivers grew and grew, until it felt like it burned through him hotter then the fires of hell itself…

Griffin stared.

Yami's cheeks were streaming with tears from eyes devoid of anything, even the almost legendary richness of colour. The tears flowed on and on, flooding out of Yami's vacant, staring eyes, dripping off his face and soaking through the pillows either side of him.

They were just tears; but there was something unnerving about them.

Something that shook Griffin deep inside.

And he didn't like it.

"Stop it." Griffin commanded, trying to hide the odd tone inexplicably lacing his voice.

Yami just lay there, unreactive. He didn't do anything, try anything, or even try to stem the tears. They continued to flow out through staring, shattered crimson eyes.

Even they were out of his control. But oddly enough…it was out of Griffin's too.

"Stop it!" Griffin ordered again.

But they wouldn't; they kept on coming, silent but meaningful - and it chilled him to the core.

There was no explanation for it. They were just tears…

Griffin had been the cause of tears thousands of times before, but this… this was different.

It disturbed him.

* * *

Yugi saw the change, so did everyone around him. And now, there was mass confusion circling not only this world - but Griffin's too.

Yugi stared into the vortex.

He didn't understand. Didn't get what was going on. He understood the tears - but not why they were deterring Griffin.

Or did he really understand the tears after all?

"Why…?" He whispered, shaking his head, lost in his own confusion.

There were no answers. There were no questions, so there didn't need to be an answer. But the fact still remained.

Griffin had lost his grip as a result.

* * *

"STOP IT NOW!" Griffin shouted, furiously.

The Black Magics around him shrank back under such anger, but still Yami remained the same.

Lost, defeated and at the mercy of a sorrow that ran deeper then could ever be understood.

The tears continued to fall.

With every drop, the stronger the internal shivers became, and the faster the anxiety gripped him.

There was something about them…

They were sorrow. Yami's sorrow, his grief personified…but it wasn't that.

They were also - innocent.

Innocence and Evil could never mix, just battle.

With every tear, the blackness inside Griffin was scared away.

And he really didn't like that…

Furiously, Griffin summoned an exquisite obsidian diamond-jewelled dagger in a flash and pressed it to Yami's throat.

"You will obey me." He hissed, soft and deadly.

But there was no reaction from Yami. Griffin hadn't been expecting one, but in blind anger, he tried and failed anyway. Finally giving into the recoiling magics within and around him, Griffin lost this temper.

With an low growl, Griffin stood up harshly, leaving Yami where he was on the bed. Without another word, he strode furiously out towards the door to the Soul Room.

And with one last vicious glare into the vortex, Griffin summoned his power one last time through a wave of his hand.

The vortex began to close.

And Griffin left the room, slamming and sealing the new granite door behind him.

But that wasn't all he'd done.

* * *

Yugi pressed his palms to the vortex, ignoring the acidic sensation under his hands as he struggled to counteract Griffin's power, trying as hard as he could to keep the gateway open just to see Yami.

Griffin had done something else - he could feel it.

And now he could see it.

The granite door slammed deafeningly, resounding like a doom toll throughout the Soul Room and straight through the portal to chill them all to the core.

Yugi stared.

There had been a black flash of light.

* * *

Yami convulsed as if a bolt of pure lightning had flared through his body.

Suddenly he was sitting bolt upright, breathing by himself, taking in deep lungfuls of air, and clawing at his clothes, pulling them together as fast as he could - all without even thinking about it.

Shock and panic took over in a instant, unforgivingly gripping him in its embrace.

His heart pounding rapidly, his breath coming short, deep but laboured gasps, Yami half-climbed, half-fell off the bed in distressed haste.

He couldn't think, couldn't judge, couldn't quell the desperation that had suddenly taken him over so entirely.

Yami dashed to the sealed door.

The tears were still flowing freely down his cheeks, no longer innocent and grief-stricken - but now frantic, and distraught.

Yami stopped.

His hands began to shake. Shake so hard, he couldn't control it.

His heart stopped.

Slowly, he touched the cold stone door - and ran his fingers over the bare area that the handle should be.

"No…" He whispered.

He pressed his hands to the stone, trying, desperately trying to find a handle that just wasn't there.

"No, please," Yami pleaded softly. "Please no…not again…"

His hands began to shake harder, and what little rationality he had began to fade worryingly fast.

Pure, unadulterated panic set in.

"No!" Yami cried out, scared out of his mind. "No! Let me out! Not again! NOT AGAIN! PLEASE!"

Desperately, Yami's hands searched the door, clawing at the stone, trying everything and anything to unseal the door…

But it was no use. It just like before…just like before…

"Please…please open the door…" He whispered. "Please…"

He was trapped in this room; the mirror of his tomb, the last resting place of his spirit - and his own personal prison for what had seemed like so much longer then forever…

Quiet sobs convulsed thought Yami's whole body as his will gave out. His hands, bloody and raw from scratching at the door, fell limply at his sides as he turned around and slid down to the floor.

He really was trapped.

Yami pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself for comfort, and burying his face from view.

It was his worst nightmare come true again.

But this time, no onecould possiblyto set him free.

* * *

Note – hi there, just a little note because I felt I should probably explain two of the main things you may have noticed in the last few chapters and this one too.

Firstly, I'm well aware I'm taking my time and going into a lot more detail then I need to for this kind of fic, but I really am having lots of fun writing this, soI decided to let my imagination run wild and develop my style even further as I go. I was going to cut it down before I posted it, but I really didn't see the point in it. i loved writing this chapter becasue of the different perceptives i got to play around with so I just hope you guys like it too.

Secondly, I felt I should explain the bit with Yami's tears and why it disturbed Griffin so deeply. Now, I have actually seen this happen so no one dispute me okay? But even if someone is so incredibly evil like Griffin is now, something really, really pure and just and so…innocent such as tears can actually deter the captor from the captive. I don't mean loud bawling and people just freaking out to the point where you have to slap them, I mean when you honestly believe that your soul is going to be damaged beyond repair by the evil of another, that's the kind of spiritual tears that can really shake someone up no matter how far gone they are.

So even if Griffin is evil, he is still human, so the same idea would still apply.

Note 2 – anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next one's finished too and was supposed to be posted with this but turned out to be too long for one chapter. So I'm going to post that one tomorrow after I've proof read it and worked out a few kinks that I've just noticed.

Till next time!


	37. Forsaken

Chapter 37 - Forsaken

The cry was bloodcurdling.

Soul-destroying in pitch; excruciating pain in a sound form.

"YUGI!"

He heard the voices of his terrified friends, but he didn't acknowledge it. He couldn't.

All he could focus on - was Yami's pain exploding through his head like a thousand icicles stabbing into his very mind.

Falling to his knees, Yugi pressed his hands to his head. The tension was so intense, so strong; it felt like he was going to pass out right then and there. Yami was in so much anguish, ultimate pain; it was flooding straight into Yugi through their stunted link.

Hands grasped his arms, pulling him up as gently as panic would let them, but still Yugi didn't register it.

Through the pounding pain in his head, only one other thing broke through and it was much worse then mere pain. Only Yugi didn't know that yet.

Yugi raised his gaze, forcing his eyes open just in time to see the vortex finally close completely, returning back to the regular wall it had been before.

"Yugi?" Tea said anxiously. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer.

The others exchanged worried glances, all more freaked out then they had been when Yugi had started screaming. There was something about the detached way he was gazing up at them that just chilled them to the core. It didn't look natural.

"What's wrong with him?" Mokuba asked worriedly. "He looks like he's not even in there."

"It's not that thing that happened to Miss Williams is it?" Ryou asked tentatively.

The group looked at each other again. No one had yet forgotten what had happened to one of their teachers two weeks before. It had been much too disturbing.

"She just went completely empty like that too." Joey said softly. "Like she'd just snapped."

Seto glanced at him. "What the hell did you do to her?"

Joey glared but abandoned arguing for more pressing matters.

"You mean a nervous breakdown?" Leo asked.

Tea nodded. "Yeah, she had to go to a special hospital and everything." She visibly paled at the thought. "I think she's still there…"

Anxiously, Leo kneeled down and generally passed a hand just before Yugi's form, noting the vacant curiosity that entered those amethyst eyes as Yugi followed the blue shimmering magic radiating out from his palm.

"He seems fine, but there is something that I can't pinpoint." Leo told them. "I'm not sure how to explain it."

"What does it feel like?" Yue asked.

"I'm not sure…it's just something out of place besides the superpower he's embodied. Maybe something has snapped."

"Well if it is a breakdown, shouldn't we be really careful with him?" Krysta asked anxiously.

"Or you could just slap him really hard and make him snap out of it." Bakura said.

That earned him a few ferocious glares.

"It was just a suggestion." He added, crossing his arms reproachfully. "Like you weren't thinking it too."

That earned him even more acidic glares.

"Wait a minute; aren't we getting off point here?" Joey said suddenly. "Yami's free! We can go get him!"

"No," Leo said.

Celebrations halted before they began.

"What?" Seto demanded, having actually been impressed with Joey's grip on the task in hand. "We just saw him; he's got control of his body back!"

"No he hasn't," Leo told him. "Griffin wouldn't be that careless. He just suppressed the spell so it doesn't need to draw even more power from him to keep working. He's just being lazy and also tormenting Yami by imprisoning him in a replica of his Soul Room."

He sighed softly.

"He hasn't lost his touch when it comes to tormenting Yami."

"How could anyone be so evil?" Krysta said softly.

"So what's the next plan, since the last one failed so miserably?" Bakura asked, a little more brightly then intended.

They glared at him again.

Meanwhile, Yugi stared.

He could see all his friends around him. It struck him how many there were - but he didn't know why that seemed important. It also struck him that…they all looked so worried. He didn't understand why.

His eyes closed, slowly sinking to his knees again. Detachedly, he raised his hands to his head once more, placing them against his temples.

It was his mind - but he couldn't hear his own thoughts anymore.

And yet a voice was there, a voice that seemed so very familiar…

And it spoke the same words…

"Yugi?" Joey said, suddenly realising what the other was doing and kneeling down to him. "Can you hear me?"

Again Yugi didn't answer him. But silence suddenly fell at his next words.

Joey's breath caught in his throat as vacant amethyst eyes turned and locked onto his own.

"Out of the darkness…" Yugi whispered. "Into the light…"

Confusion circled the group, all expect for one. The only one that nobody expected to be affected at all.

Bakura froze.

His heart suddenly pounding, his gaze flitted to Yugi. The teenager was still on his knees on the floor, not even aware of what he had said. But Bakura knew better - and for the first time since this had all started, he felt the unquestionable dread rise.

Bakura ignored the startled shouts as he reached down and roughly pulled Yugi up by the shoulders, forcing him to look up.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!" Seto yelled, overshadowing all the other shouts at the severe act.

Bakura ignored them.

"What did you say?" He demanded.

Yugi just stared impassively into space.

"Tell me!" Bakura ordered fiercely. "What did you just say!"

Something flickered in Yugi's eyes, trying to break through and offer the little sense it had left to work with.

"O-out of the darkness," Yugi said softly. "Into the light."

There was no mistaking the expression on Bakura's face.

"Out of the darkness, into the light," Yugi said again.

It was strange.

The look of dread just seemed so out of place on Bakura's hardened face, a face that had seen way too much evil in his lifetime to be ever scared of anything ever again. But yet, there it was. The expression of sudden, unquestionable dread and also…fear.

Bakura stared at him. "It can't be…"

Yugi's eyes filled with tears, feeling the feelings, but not understanding them at all.

"The words…" He whispered, his voice breaking slightly. "H-he keeps saying them. O-over and over in my head…the same words…"

A mixture of shock, denial and disbelief merged chaotically in Bakura's dark green eyes as he slowly released Yugi from his grip, and took an involuntary step backward, still staring at the younger teenager.

Yugi gazed at him, watching him with almost childlike fascination, raising his hands once more to press against his silently pounding head.

"Out of the darkness, into the light." He whispered. "Out of the darkness, into the light -"

"STOP IT!" Bakura yelled suddenly.

Gasps sounded around the room as he suddenly picked Yugi up completely, shaking him violently.

"Stop saying those words!"

"Bakura!" Ryou exclaimed, quickly catching his arm. "What are you doing?"

Startled by the ferocity of his own action, Bakura quickly realised Yugi, turning away, feeling more wretched at that moment then he had ever done in his entire life.

Seto's gaze narrowed on him, shaking off the surprise in a split-second.

"You know what Yugi's saying, don't you?"

It was a statement not a question.

"You know what's wrong with him?" Sakura gasped. "What is it?"

"Bakura what's he saying?" Joey asked urgently. "What does that mean?"

The former thief didn't answer, but it wasn't just to annoy the others this time - it was out of denial to actually believe it himself.

Ryou gently took his lover's hand. "Bakura?"

Finally, he turned around, and stared at Yugi again.

"Yami's saying those words." Bakura told them.

"Yami!" Tea half-shouted. "But how…?"

Krysta glanced at Yugi in surprise. "Is your link still active? I thought Griffin blocked it."

"No," Bakura said before Yugi could answer, still staring at him. "You can hear him - but he can't you."

There was something in his voice. A tone that suggested something a lot more sinister behind that seemingly tiny fact.

"Bakura what does those words mean?" Seto demanded, getting annoyed again.

Bakura still stared at Yugi, realising in sudden, devastating clarity exactly why Yugi was reacting the way he was to his lover's voice in his head. By all rights, Yugi should be ecstatic he could hear Yami again…but this was different. It was _wrong_. Even if Yugi didn't understand yet, he still knew what it meant and that was why he was suddenly so detached, so devoid of anything, even the very last shred of hope.

"It's a prayer." Bakura told him gently. "Yami's scared. Really scared."

"You're lying." Yugi said simply.

Bakura visibly faltered by the abrupt reply, even though not at all surprised Yugi had figured out there was more then he was letting on.

Lost, the others looked on in silent fascination.

"It is a prayer." Bakura said again. "It's the last prayer of a condemned man."

He half-expected Yugi to collapsed in tears, but he didn't. Yugi stood as he was, detached and vacant, unreactive as a statue. It was only his voice that gave him away.

"Tell me." Yugi whispered.

Bakura looked away, unable to watch the destruction of another. He'd seen it too much already, plus it was only fun if there was blood and violence involved - and that there was a chance they'd recover and do it again in the near future for his entertainment. He just knew there was no way Yugi was going to recover from this.

Bakura gazed at him in sudden realisation.

"You don't know, do you?" He asked abruptly.

Confusion flickered in those amethyst eyes.

"You honestly have no idea," Bakura went on. He stared at Yugi, shaking his head. "Don't you get it Yugi? The reason he's here in the first place? The reason why Yami didn't go into the afterlife and stayed here?"

Yugi blinked, clearly thrown out of sync. "H-he wanted a new life and -"

"No," Bakura said cutting him off. "He wanted _you_."

Something sparked off in those darkened green eyes. A passion that had always been there, but no one had ever seen before. It hadn't been there long - only since he had finally become the completing half to his own Hikari…

"Don't you get it!" Bakura went on, suddenly half-yelling. "The only reason Yami didn't leave was stay with you! It didn't matter that he was nuts over the priest at the time, it was ALWAYS _you_!"

Yugi stared at him, shaking his head. "I-I don't understand…"

"The only reason we live…" Bakura stated. "Is for you. For our Hikaris."

He stepped up to Yugi again, staring down at him, struggling not to shake him to get him to understand.

"The only reason we live is to care for our Hikaris," Bakura told him. "You're his only reason for cheating death and taking another life. Don't you see? He is only a half of a soul, but he doesn't need you to live again with a new body, he _wants _you. But things changed."

Yugi bit his lip. "What changed?"

He watched as Bakura looked away from him, casting his gaze onto the misunderstanding eyes of Ryou instead.

"We fell." He said simply. "We fell so hard for you. And things changed. We don't need Hikaris to survive now we have our own bodies - but we tricked ourselves into thinking we do."

He looked back at Yugi.

"Yami doesn't need you Yugi, he wants you." Bakura told him. "But wants change. And like mine, his want changed to a need. Yami needs you to live. You're his reason for living now, and if he loses you…that's it. There is no reason to go on anymore."

Bakura watched the understanding enter the other's eyes, feeling the misery of the situation entirely now.

His voice softened.

"You can hear him, but he can't hear you," He continued. "You're lost to him Yugi. He's given up because he knows his fate now. Those words are a prayer. The last prayer of a condemned man." He saw the destruction, but there was no way of stopping it. "Yami knows his soul is going to be destroyed for all eternity…for the loss of you, and the violation of him."

There was sudden silence.

"What do you mean?" Tea asked slowly, dreading the answer.

"You know what I mean." Bakura said glancing at her and the others. "So don't try and sugar-coat it. The soul could never survive a violation like that, especially one so unhealthily tied to another's."

Joey closed his eyes. "You mean rape, don't you?" He said softly.

Bakura nodded. "It'll happen to him, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Griffin has control over him, even if he's mad at him now, it'll still happen, there doesn't seem to be a way to stop it in time."

"But we can," Sakura said desperately. "We have to!"

"Wait, even if that happens, we can still get Yami back right?" Mokuba asked anxiously.

Dark green eyes bored into them all. "What's the point?"

The shock was unquestionable.

Bakura looked at them all, deadly serious. "Have you ever seen a rape victim ever be the same person again? Have you EVER seen them recover from a violation like that? If one person does that to another, there is something stolen away from their soul, something that holds their spirit together - makes them complete. Some victims are so consumed by the emptiness of what had been stolen that they commit suicide just escape their desecrated lives. Plus, Yami's only half a soul, and without Yugi or a will to live, he's going to be _destroyed _and he knows it. If we don't get to him in time, he'll never be the same again."

"But how…?" Ryou murmured.

Tea looked at Bakura suspiously. "So you -"

Bakura glared at her lethally, his eyes literally blazing. "Don't you _dare _associate me with one of them." He said harshly. "I was a thief and a bastard. I was _never _a rapist. I was the one to slaughter every one of those evil bastards I ever came across."

The voices of his friends continued around him. Yugi could hear them clearly, but it was like he wasn't there. He had heard the words of before, and now he understood the reaction within him and that of even Bakura too. He was also aware he hadn't moved, or said a word, or even offered an indication that he was still here within his own body as the conversation had occurred.

But it was all true. He did know that about rape victims - not first hand…but his ability to sense people's auras had shown him how the spirit of someone having been violated so cruelly was shredded, as if a huge hole had been torn out that couldn't be replaced, so the soul could never ever heal…

Yugi felt the Destiny Sword in his hand. He had been holding it all that time. If felt so light, so compliant, so warm and inviting, as if the beautiful sword had moulded itself and defied all laws of physics to be perfect for his hand, and gently whisper the skills he needed to wield it so long as he held it in his grasp.

His grip tightened on the hilt.

And the words flooded his mind again.

_Out of the darkness…into the light…_

Yugi closed his eyes.

His Dark's voice was getting fainter and fainter, fading away, digressing into nothing more then quiet distressed sobs and an ocean of tears…

_Out of the darkness…_

The Destiny Sword glinted in the moonlight from the window, but Yugi didn't see it. He didn't have to; he already knew what he was going to do.

The blade began to shimmer with White Magics.

"Yugi?" Joey said suddenly. "Yugi!"

Everyone jumped back in surprise as a circle of white light pulsed out, gently urging them back in a wide ripple surrounding Yugi completely and casting all others out via the lightest of pushes.

Finally, Yugi opened his eyes. There was no strength, no defiance, no trace of courage. There was just…the tiniest shred of hope.

He saw his friends gaze around him in shock, studying the sudden circle of light that still hadn't dissipated from around Yugi. But it had good reason - they only just saw it. What Yugi had done, was create a force-field a metre-radius all around him.

"Yugi what're you doing?" Seto demanded.

White Light rippled out beautifully from the spot where he had touched the shield, trying to break it down with no avail.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't do it!" Joey shouted.

Yugi looked at him as the others glared with him. "I have to. I can't let it end this way."

"It's suicide!" Leo stated.

He felt a soft touch on his arm, making him stop.

"He knows that." Yue said softly. "I don't believe we can stop him."

Tea shook her head worriedly. "Yugi…"

Yugi turned away, gazing at the wall that had been encompassed in his force-field along with him. He raised a hand and once more forged the gateway between this world and Griffin's dimension.

"I have to do this." He said softly. He glanced at his friends one last time. "I can't let him go. I can't. I'll die first."

There was no reply. Well, not one that was heard, more _felt_. Yami and Yugi had something special, something unique and unfathomable to anyone who didn't know them, or knew what they had been through together since the first time they had met.

There was something between them that tied them together; there couldn't be one without the other. It just wouldn't work. They couldn't live without each other - that just became a fact of life for them.

Yugi couldn't let Yami go. He couldn't.

So there was no reply.

And no one stopped him when Yugi turned around - and stepped through the gateway once more.

* * *

Note – Hey people, I'd just like to take with time to mention – since it's come up so many times – about my cliffies. Now, according to my way of seeing it, and that of definitions taken from published, academic books, cliff-hangers are actually ONLY when the writer chooses to end a scene in the middle of an important action in order to gain maximum dramatic effect, or to change character perspective for the same reasons.

Now, a lot of people have been bugging me about the way I end my chapters and it's really starting to annoy. The way I tend to write is to leave the reader with a feeling of anticipation of what is to happen in the next chapter and maybe give them a few ideas to keep them guessing – eg THIS CHAPTER isn't a cliffie like the majority of the chapters of this fic. It's only a cliff-hanger if the chapter ends MID-SCENE, oh and with the exception of perspective changes between narrative characters of course.

Okay, that's all I wanted to say, because some goddamn idiot chick keeps on complaining about cliffies and leaving me bad reviews just because of that – and by the way, I've found your bloody profile even if you tire to hide it from me like the coward you are AND THIS FIC IS WAY TOO OLD FOR YOU TO READ ANYWAY! OF COURSE YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND! SO YOU CAN BLOODY WELL PISS OFF YOU BRAT! IF YOU EVER HAD THE GUTS TO WRONGLY CRITISE ME LIKE THAT TO MY FACE I WOULD BEAT YOU INTO THE GROUND! I'M NOT FORCING YOU TO READ MY FIC AM I! SO WHY THE HELL LEAVE A MALICIOUS REVIEW? IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, PISS OFF! PLUS I'VE LOOKED AT YOUR STORIES AND YOU SO **DEFINITELY** HAVE NO GROUNDS TO EVEN DARE CRITISE ANYONE!

Anyway, sorry for the outburst, I hope you liked the chapter, I'll try and update again as soon as I can.

Luv Nefertari


	38. Overtaken

Note – YAY! I finally had time to finish this update! Now, just as a lil warning, I kinda went all out inaction scenes because I was having so much fun writing them and I actually do need the practice, so sorry if they go on a bit!

Note 2 - I NEED REVEIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER PEOPLE - YOU'LL SEE WHY AFTER YOU READ IT!

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 38 - Overtaken 

The corridor of the Yami/Hikari plane looked exactly the same as before.

Yugi blinked, half expecting it to change in a split second to something a whole lot more threatening.

But it didn't.

It was still the exact same corridor; a mirrored version to the mind plane he shared with Yami. It was still the stone walls with the two Soul Room doors and the two identical torches on each wall, illumining no more then a few metres in each direction, leaving the rest of the corridor to disappear into darkness on either side.

Yugi's heart thudded in his chest as he stepped closer.

The passageway was silent, save for the crackling of the fiery torches.

It wasn't going to stay silent for long. That went without saying.

Clicking into action, Yugi dashed to the centre of the corridor, between the entrances to the two Soul Rooms.

Yugi blinked again, this time in sudden realisation.

There was a new door sealing Yami's Soul Room again.

Yugi stared at it.

It had taken so much magical energy in the form of the all-powerful White Magic to reduce the first door to mere rubble - and now Yugi was faced with the same task once more.

And to break down the second solid granite door required the same amount of raw power..,

In a place were Griffin knew and sensed all magics that occurred…this was not a good thing.

Yugi took a deep breath, Yami filling his mind and heart again - and raised his hand to the door.

Magic knows magic.

And Griffin _knows _when alien magics were cast in his own Realm.

The gateway of White Magic was enough of a giveaway.

A series of growls echoed through the surrounding air.

Yugi froze.

He shouldn't have panicked, but he really couldn't help it. His breath stunting in his throat, Yugi whirled around. Inexplicably breathless and suddenly scared to death, he backed into Yami's Soul Room door with just one look behind him.

Fear shone through his eyes as Yugi stood, petrified where he was.

Only what he saw wasn't a gigantic snarling creature glaring down at him with those sinister green eyes, fangs-bared and ready to take a vicious bite out of him. It was something a lot more simple - but a whole lot more frightening.

The black-diamond door handle on Griffin's Soul Room door was beginning to turn.

In blind desperation, Yugi whirled around again, completely missing out on the seven monsters that moulded out of the darkness to pounce on him - and pressed a palm to the centre of the Yami's door without even thinking about it.

There was no going back now.

The blast of White Magic burst out of him before he had a chance to brace himself. Griffin already knew he was here, so there was no point in using magic with discretion anymore. Only just managing to keep his balance, Yugi opened his eyes again only to see the scattering remains of the granite door crumble at his feet, nothing more then dust now.

Breathless, running on adrenaline and now practically dazed from his own magics, Yugi stumbled into the Soul Room, already searching the settling dust for the only reason he had to live.

Through the darkness, startled tear-filled eyes focused onto Yugi's.

There was no mistaking those ruby orbs.

Yugi's stopped, dead in his tracks.

Yami was all the way across the room, crushed into the furthest corner of his prison. He was curled up on the ground and had been sobbing silently into his knees only moments before.

Now, those scared-to-death crimson eyes were fixated on the doorway, frightened out of his mind that he'd see Griffin standing there, back for so much more then mere playtime.

"Yami…" Yugi murmured softly.

The change was incredible. No one could have ever seen hope suddenly burst through an ocean of distress so amazingly vividly in such a small space of time.

Yet there it was.

It was almost like a movie.

The lovers of the film would see each other on opposite sides of a field having been separated by some higher forces, but then, just like love should be - they'd be drawn together despite absolutely everything. And in an all-out, crazed run, they'd dash to each other…just to become one again…

It was almost like a movie.

Almost.

A mere five metres away from each other, Yugi and Yami froze in their tracks.

Mostly because a diamond-sharp obsidian dagger had just flitted through the air right between them. A dagger so sharp and so laden with jealous rage and angered Black Magics - the very air was sliced into ribbons.

Suddenly petrified, the teenagers took an involuntary step backward, staring at the dagger. It was now half embedded in the far wall. And there was a train of black flames handing in mid-air, coursing the path of the dagger and separating the lovers more unquestionably then a concrete wall.

Slowly, they turned their gazes to the doorway in rising dread.

If Griffin had been scary before, he was _terrifying _now.

It was frightening what jealously could do.

Griffin stood just inside the doorway, his emerald green eyes blazing with silent fury. He was only a few metres away from Yugi, looking like he wanted to mutilate the Hikari just for daring to come back into his realm. Behind him stood the seven creatures, all lusting for blood, and arcing menacingly around Griffin, ready to pounce.

Without a word, his Black magical sword materialised in his hand and he stepped menacingly closer, whilst Yami could do nothing more then watch behind the barrier of flames.

"This time…" Griffin seethed, soft and deadly. "No more games."

Yugi barely had time to register the swipe, let alone duck from it. Gasping in fear, Yugi only just missed it; Griffin only managing to siphon off a lock of red hair and, thankfully, nothing more.

"YUGI!" Yami cried out.

He staggered back with a pained cry as the wall of black fire flared up, burning his hands before he could get to his Hikari. Stumbling backwards and nursing blistered hands, Yami gazed up at the line of dividing flames. They had flared up as he'd touched it…but it seemed to be a temporary spell that Griffin wasn't giving much attention to at that moment. It was fading - but gradually, and definitely not fast enough.

All Yami could do, was watch helplessly from his side of the Soul Room…

Yugi darted to his left, missing the second and third sword lashes with barely a millisecond to spare. The skin on his neck reddened from the close proximity Griffin's sword had been. The blade of the sword had been so hot his skin had practically scalded without even coming into contact.

Spying another blow heading straight for him, Yugi whirled around again. Grasping the Destiny Sword tightly, Yugi blindly lashed out, too off-balance to do anything more.

The blade of the beautiful sword hit nothing but air, emitting an almost musical resonance as it swished in a perfect arc.

Griffin laughed harshly, taking the opportunity to play dirty for all it was worth and kick Yugi in his side.

Weakened, Yugi stumbled backward, almost dropping the Destiny Sword altogether. Clutching his side, Yugi looked up at Griffin as defiantly as he could, holding out the sword defensively. He could feel Yami's gaze on him, sense the pleading in the other's spirit to get out while he could…

But Yugi suddenly found himself in the middle of Griffin on one side and his monsters on the other.

"Pathetic." Griffin sneered, towering menacingly over Yugi. "You're nothing but a pathetic little Hikari. How _dare _you enter my Realm."

Yugi stared up at him, not even dignifying him with an answer.

And forced himself to straighten up, overcoming the aches and brandishing the Destiny Sword more aggressively.

Yugi smiled seeing the surprise in the other's eyes.

"Yami's mine." Yugi said simply. "And I'm going to fight for him. Even if it kills me."

Yugi ignored Griffin's slightly-rattled-smile and took the opportunity to notice something Griffin hadn't yet.

Yugi may not be the deceitful type, nor was he one to _shatter _as opposed to _bend _rules.

But he was a quick learner.

Before Griffin had a chance to rise to his challenge, Yugi lashed out once more, carving a sideways figure '8' into the air. It was an old defensive manoeuvre, designed to get the opponent to back off if they wanted to keep their noses.

And it always worked.

Taken off-guard, but quick nonetheless, Griffin backed off as Yugi anticipated, raising his own sword defensively.

Yugi's gaze focused. His hands moved. And it all happened in less then two seconds.

He lunged forward, before Griffin had a chance to regain his balance and counter-attack. Thinking Yugi was aiming for his throat, Griffin lifted his sword higher to block it - just as Yugi expected.

_Attack, block, play dirty tricks._

_That's his game. _

_Now, it's mine._

Instantly Yugi ducked before finishing his own attack, leaving Griffin blocking an attack what wasn't even there. This time the other wasn't as quick on the uptake. As he ducked, the Destiny Sword swirled around in his hand like a baton until the blade was facing away from Griffin.

Finally, Griffin reacted just as Yugi hoped. Not thinking Yugi would duck down, the other reiterated his block and turned it into another attack - aiming for Yugi's throat…but it wasn't were it had been a spilt-second ago.

As Griffin's sword blazed over his head, Yugi knelt, sprinted… and struck out the hilt of the sword directly into Griffin's stomach. Griffin doubled over. And blade of the Destiny Sword deflected the Black Sword as it faltered in Griffin's hand, saving Yugi from a literal stab in the back.

The moves entered his mind from the White Magic itself. Guiding him to do what he had seen - what he had _learned_…

Yugi was actually using the power, not vice versa.

He was beginning to understand how to control the magic now. How to mould it to what he wanted to do. And as long as his purpose was pure, true and noble - the magics will help…

As Griffin folded, definitely not expecting the underhanded attack, Yugi spun around, letting the Destiny Sword swirl around him to block a messy counterattack aimed for his side. Then, Yugi stretched out his free arm, opening his palm.

Screams filled the air.

Not Griffin's, not Yugi's, and not Yami's either.

Yugi darted backwards triumphantly at the sounds, accidentally crashing into the wall again as he did so.

Falling to his knees, Yugi looked up at what he had done in the space of a few little seconds. He'd laid out a few good tricks on Griffin - and successfully got out of the frightening situation of being caught n the middle of him and his creatures.

He stared.

The monsters were screaming, writhing with pain; their cries filling the entire chamber. The White Magics had sliced through them like a chainsaw through ice. The blackness was running away, the creatures were failing - and they were collapsing in on themselves like an imploding black hole.

And they were collapsing on top of Griffin.

He hadn't noticed his monsters had followed him into the chamber. Griffin hadn't noticed how close they had come up behind him either, all eager for fresh meat and the glory of blood spilled.

He also hadn't noticed how well Yugi had played him but getting the two of them to switch places so Griffin was caught in the middle of his monsters and the Hikari.

Then Yugi had made him stumble backward, weakened…right into his own guardians - which Yugi then took care of in a very unconventional way.

This time, instead of reducing the creatures to ash or to the Black Magics in their raw form - Yugi had sent a blast of arrowed magic the equivalent to a machine gun.

Now Griffin was struggling to regain his composure in a pool of seven decaying creatures and cursing to the universe in general.

Playing dirty wasn't so hard.

Without a second thought, Yugi staggered up, raising his sword once more. The Destiny Sword seared easily through the line of flames separating the chamber, shattering it and casting it back into the blackness from whenst it came.

Across the Soul Room, the emerald-jewelled dagger fell from it's place in the wall and clattered to the stone floor.

"Yami," Yugi breathed, dashing to him.

Once more it was almost like a movie.

"Yugi…" Yami whispered.

Feeling inexplicably weakened with relief, Yami fell to his knees dragging Yugi down with him. His Hikari's touch had never felt so healing, so wonderful…

He had missed it so much…

Yugi's hart ached as he saw tears fill those rare crimson eyes.

"Yugi I'm sorry," Yami whispered desperately, silent sobs convulsing through his body as the tears streamed down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry…for everything…"

Yugi looked at the other, hating himself even more for ever letting this happen.

The Hikari shook his head vigorously, tears stinging his own eyes.

"No…Yami…"

Yugi grasped his hands, pulling him closer, wanting more then anything just to be close to the one who had changed his life into something worth living for.

"Shhh, it's okay." Yugi whispered lovingly. He reached up and wiped away Yami's tears. "It's okay."

Yami looked into the only amethyst eyes that had ever filled him with joy.

"I love you." He whispered.

Yugi smiled, holding back a happy sob as his heart jolted with bliss. "I love you." Yugi whispered back.

And just like in a movie, they would seal the moment with a kiss and everything will be just fine…

…but life wasn't like a movie.

It was a shame.

Yugi saw Yami's eyes suddenly widen in shock, only he didn't register why. The life had suddenly drained from Yami's expression so quickly, almost as if someone had just blown out the only flame on a freezing night.

In less then a millisecond, he saw those cerise eyes flicker downward.

And before Yugi even had a chance to think about what the other was looking at, he followed Yami's gaze too…

There was a shiny black tendril wrapped around Yami's waist.

Yugi's heart stopped.

And Yami was instantly ripped away from him.

"No!" Yugi cried out as their embrace shattered, their entwined hands brutally torn apart.

Surging forward under the force of his Dark being ripped away, Yugi struggled to his knees again, ignoring his own aching body, and looked up. His breath caught in his throat as he heard Yami cry out as the tendril rearing up, dragging Yami with it. Clawing back his senses, Yugi forced himself to look up - just in time to see his Dark being thrown away from him…and then slamming excruciatingly violently against the opposite wall clear across the chamber.

Yugi stared in horror as his Dark slid down the solid stone wall, collapsing injured, semi-conscious and disoriented where he lay what seemed like miles away from Yugi again.

The tendril-arm itself reared up once more over Yami, hovering over him for a split-second, as if checking he wasn't going to run anywhere before finally beginning to retract…

Yugi stared at it.

The tendril was huge like the arm of a giant squid, it was black, and it seemed to be stretching clear over Yugi's head…

In almost childlike fascination brought on by sheer anxiety, Yugi followed the tendril with his eyes. He watched it draw away from his Dark, watched it flit back clear over himself -

Yugi's eyes widened.

- and saw it shorten back to normal arm-length.

Griffin flexed his fingers, stretching his arm out, making every one of his joints contract with a sickening, fleshy crack in quick succession. He lowered his arm and once more locked murderous green eyes onto Yugi's.

Yugi stared.

He saw Griffin brandish his sword, but there was barely any time to react. Griffin was running on pure fury, nothing more. It was like he wasn't even thinking about it - he was just doing it.

Yugi didn't even have time to stand up before Griffin was directly in front of him.

It was only then he saw the Black Magical Sword heading straight for his neck.

In a flash, Yugi was on his back, crushed against the cold stone. His muscles burned with exertion and magical energy, burning so much just to keep himself alive.

Locking swords with Griffin was extremely hard.

The black blade inched closer and closer to Yugi's throat, seemingly getting heavier and stronger with each passing second. The Destiny Sword shimmered with White Magic in Yugi's hands, pulsing out it's power as much as it could to help it's protector, but it could only do so much with Yugi's limited knowledge of the ancient source.

Red sparks of magical backlash showered out where the blades crossed paths, White and Black scraping against each other.

But that was always going to be a neutral fight. White and Black could only battle; they couldn't harm each other or mix together, so essentially…this was just a war of brute strength. They were locked on the ground in a merciless cross-swords, using both hands to keep up the force, and pouring all of their magics into helping maintain it.

It was like a stand-off again. Only this time, the weaker one was sure to lose; after all, even with all their power…they were still mortal. And mortals couldn't last forever.

One of them was going to lose.

Griffin forced more pressure onto his sword, determined to slice the Hikari's throat if it was the last thing he did.

The black blade was getting closer and closer to Yugi's flesh and he was already beginning to weaken. His muscles were searing with pain and his energy reserves were running dangerously low - there was no way he could fight Griffin off him like this.

Desperate, Yugi poured every last ounce of strength into keeping the pressure up on his sword.

But it wasn't enough.

All magics aside, Griffin was physically older, bigger and stronger then Yugi was.

That was enough to win.

* * *

Yami blinked, trying to focus. His head felt like it was full of cotton wool. Moaning softly, he found himself on his side, leaning back against a wall. trying to find his strength again, he tried to get up - and instantly regretted it. His whole body ached from numerous bruises, his head pounding unforgivingly along with it. 

Quickly realising where he was and what was still happening, Yami struggled to pick himself up. Barely managing to get to his knees, he looked up, his vision finally clearing.

His breath caught in his throat.

"No…" He whispered.

Across the room, Griffin was on the verge of slicing Yugi's throat.

Yami stared.

He didn't want this. Never wanted this. He'd wanted a new life, a life he could make his own. He wanted a new life, a new love, a reason to forget past demons and create something worth remembering…

He never expected his past demon to come back only to kill his reason for living again and then drag Yami back into the nightmares of his past…

He didn't want this.

In the flickering firelight of the wall torches, something glistened on the ground.

Almost childishly, Yami turned and gazed at it.

It was an emerald-encrusted black obsidian dagger.

The dagger had been embedded in the wall a few minutes ago, until the onslaught of Yugi's sword had broken its fiery barrier and the dagger had fallen so harmlessly back to the stone floor…

It was just out of Yami's reach.

Yami looked up sharply as his Hikari cried out. He saw Yugi struggling with Griffin, trying to stop the other's sword from slicing through his neck and weakening frighteningly faster then Griffin was.

Yami's eyes filled with tears.

Yugi wasn't going to make it like this. Griffin was going to kill him. Even if Yami dashed to his side in a desperate attempt to help him, Griffin would freeze him before he'd even gotten within three metres. Then he'd kill Yugi and make Yami watch.

Yami looked at the dagger again.

There was no way in hell Griffin was going to let Yugi live. There was no way in hell Griffin was going to free Yami either. And there was no way in hell Griffin was going to suddenly drop dead.

Tears streamed down Yami's cheeks. He was suddenly trembling, his heart racing in his chest, desperation suddenly rising well out of control.

He'd _let _Griffin back into his life. He'd _let _Yugi fall so hard for him that he'd risk his own life to save his Dark's. And through all this, Yami had practically destroyed the second lifetime he had so wanted to make right…

He'd brought this all on himself, and he knew it. Now Yugi was going to get himself killed in a fight he couldn't possibly win.

The dagger glistened in the firelight.

Yami's life was worthless now, but Yugi's…

* * *

"AHHH!" Griffin cried out. 

Not even acknowledging the pained yell, Yugi kicked him again in the crotch with every last drop of strength he had, before finally, shoving him off. It was a low and damn dirty trick - but it worked like a treat every time.

Red sparks cascaded all around them as the two magically opposite swords seared against each other as they parted with a metallic resonance.

Jerking away, Yugi staggered up, clawing back as much energy as he could before Griffin recovered and _really _got mad. It didn't take long. Yugi's breath caught as he jumped backward, barely missing an enraged swipe of Griffin's sword and only just blocking another in quick succession.

The Destiny Sword shimmered with white light, trailing out golden sparkles as it swirled through the air, feeding Yugi the information on how to wield it better then a master swordsman.

Yugi lashed out again, anticipating a swipe to his face and ducking down to counteract with a slash to Griffin's side. Buying himself a few seconds, Yugi darted backward to escape a messy retaliation, and threw a glance over to Yami to make sure he was okay.

He almost had a heart attack at what he saw.

The glisten of obsidian in the firelight caught his attention first.

Then the image of Yami staggering up, only to dash to the glistening fallen dagger and grasp it with both hands, all in a fit of panicked desperation…

Yugi froze in pure horror.

"Yami!"

The cry tore from his throat uncontrollably without even his foreknowledge.

Across the room, distraught cerise eyes locked onto his own, but all Yugi could see where tears tarnishing the once flawlessly rare colour.

And Yami didn't even falter in his actions.

Yugi zoned out, acknowledging nothing but what Yami was about to do and the hollow black hole that had suddenly asserted itself in the heart of his soul.

He didn't even notice the attack.

Pain exploded through Yugi's right arm. With a startled cry, the Destiny Sword fell from his hand, skittering a few metres away from him under the onslaught. Excruciating pain flooded through Yugi's entire form, instantly weakening him enough to reduce him to his knees.

Confused, shocked and now in agonising pain, Yugi's gaze tore away from his lover to himself. He stared, stunned, at the scarlet blood pouring out of his arm, cascading over his hands and pooling on the cold stone floor around him like a waterfall.

His amethyst eyes were wide with shock. He had been so distracted by Yami he'd let his guard down and Griffin had seized the chance to slice clean into his upper arm, driving the Black Sword well into the bone from the sheer force of the attack.

The main artery had been severed, and so had half the nerves in his arm. Yugi was losing blood fast, and there wasn't a chance in hell he'd be able to even pick up the Destiny Sword now.

His body already lulling from blood loss, Yugi turned his gaze up to Griffin, expecting to see that maliciously evil grin of triumph before he delivered the final fatal blow…

But Griffin wasn't gazing down at him as he had expected…actually Griffin wasn't even looking at him at all.

Oddly placidly, Yugi stared at him.

Griffin was still standing in front of him, only a metre away, and he was still holding his sword out, the diamond-sharp point only an inch before Yugi's eyes. But Griffin wasn't facing him. He was looking at something else in the opposite direction - and he was stretching out his free hand in the opposite direction for some reason too…

There was silence.

Griffin smiled softly, feeling the power erupting invisibly from his out-stretched palm.

"Now, now, Yami." Griffin said in almost playful scolding. "That won't do at all."

Confused, Yugi pressed his hand to the arm injury, stemming the blood loss as much as he could just to make his mind work effectively once more.

In almost childlike fascination he glanced around Griffin and followed his gaze to the other side of the room. Yugi saw Yami there, still on his knees by the wall, but now…

Yugi's breath caught in his throat.

Yami was holding the huge obsidian dagger with both hands, and he had it aimed directly over his heart.

Yugi's fuzzy mind fell confused again. For some reason, his Dark was just sitting there like that. It took him a few seconds to finally piece together what had just happened.

Griffin had heard his cry when Yugi had witnessed Yami reaching for the dagger, already knowing what he would try to do. Then Griffin had used the distraction as an advantage to render Yugi defenseless and within a split-second he'd whirled around and reinstated his spell on Yami to freeze him in place before he'd even had a chance to kill himself as he intended.

Now frozen in position once more, Yami could do nothing but let the dagger halt over his chest where he held it, unable to ever have the freedom the dagger had offered before.

Yugi saw the distress in the other's eyes. Yami's gaze was fixated on nothing, staring dead ahead.

Between them, Griffin turned to glance at Yugi, making sure he was weakened enough not to be any trouble before looking back at Yami again.

He intensified his power over Yami.

"Now," Griffin said. "Be a good little Prince, and put the dagger down."

It may have been said nicely, but it was still a command. And for some reason, it wasn't being obeyed.

The dagger quivered oddly in Yami's grip.

Yugi blinked, confused. He looked closer. The point of the blade was trembling above Yami's heart…as if it was trying to move…but something was stopping it…

Yugi frowned in rising unease. No, the dagger wasn't trying to move, Yami was. Only he wasn't …

_Didn't Griffin just give him an order?_

Misunderstanding flashed through Griffin's eyes. "Put the dagger down, Yami." He commanded.

Another silent moment passed with both Yugi and Griffin staring at Yami now.

Something was odd. Something so odd that the two weren't even paying attention to each other anymore, all their attention was focused on Yami.

Yugi could sense the Black Magics that Griffin was pouring into Yami to fuel the spell. The magical stream was getting denser and denser as Griffin forced the command onto Yami, but still…Yami wasn't doing it.

The dagger shook even harder in Yami's hands, tears cascading ever more from his broken eyes. There was such desolation in his eyes, yet Yugi could sense the will searing through Yami like nothing he had ever felt before.

Yugi's heart ached.

He was sensing Yami's will to die. He wanted to die to save them both. To distract Griffin enough to let Yugi escape, and to save himself from Griffin's cold touch.

He wanted to die so badly, Yami was _actually _denying the spell he was so mercilessly trapped under.

"Drop the dagger!" Griffin ordered again, confusion replaced with anger in less then a second. "NOW!"

Yugi blinked, his magical senses suddenly searing as opposed to the usual tingling. His breath deepened, trying to counteract the odd sensation, but still he forced himself to look up.

Bracing himself against the ground, Yugi focused on Yami.

He could feel the power all around him, the Black Magics were pouring out of Griffin now, and there was only one destination.

Yami wanted to kill himself so badly; he was only just managing to resist Griffin's commands. But it was too much to handle, the magics were much too strong like this…

* * *

The blackness was flooding his mind. All his thoughts were ebbing away, blending into one whisper and then fading altogether. He couldn't think anymore, the power was overwhelming his whole mind. 

Yami couldn't feel the dagger in his hands anymore.

He longed for the cool obsidian touch. Longed to feel the sharpened blade slicing into his heart, making it finally stop beating, stop hurting…stop hurting the one teenager he loved so much…

He couldn't feel the dagger anymore.

His thoughts ebbed away, dragging his life, his love, overpowering it all…

The blackness was flooding into him freely now. It was too much to take.

There was a clatter.

But Yami didn't hear it.

* * *

Yugi's heart broke. 

A distressed whimper escaped his lips as he watched his lover give in to the magics.

Yugi watched as the dagger fell from his Dark's unreactive hands. It clattered to the ground, leaving Yami's arms to fall limply to his sides. Yami collapsed back, the wall catching him behind as he slumped on his knees, his arms either side him, trailing on the ground. Yami's head fell forward onto his chest, his blond locks falling across his eyes, casting them in complete shadow out of view of anything.

Tears filled Yugi's eyes.

Yami looked like a broken doll like that.

Griffin smiled, his anger instantly clearing. "Good Yami. That's a good little Prince, well done."

Yugi let out a tiny sob, unable to hold it back. He wanted to run over to Yami so badly, but he was injured to the point where he couldn't even focus for very long anymore. Yami looked so fallen, it shattered his heart.

"Now," Griffin said brightly. He turned back to Yugi, obscuring Yami from the Hikari's view. "To deal with you, Hikari."

Green eyes glistened darkly as they gazed over the defenseless teenager.

"This time," Griffin said raising his sword. "No mistakes."

Yugi wasn't even intimidated.

Actually he wasn't even paying the slightest bit of attention.

Griffin faltered. He stared down at the Hikari, suddenly thrown clear out of sync. He frowned, watching the other.

Yugi was staring, fixated, not even acknowledging the blade pressed against his throat to the point where a hairline cut appeared, letting a droplet of blood slip down Yugi's neck.

Griffin watched him.

Yugi still stared. His sixth sense was going crazy, only…it wasn't tingling, or burning - it was threatening to fizzle out completely. The power he was sensing was getting stronger and stronger with each passing moment, so strong it overwhelmed Yugi's own sense entirely. His pupils dilated oddly as the sensation flooded through him.

The power he could sense…it was Black Magic, he was sure about that. But it wasn't coming from Griffin.

It was coming from…

Griffin's frown deepened, still watching Yugi. "What the hell are you - ?"

He felt it.

And slowly, he turned around.

Yugi gazed past him.

Half the wall torches on the opposite side of the chamber abruptly blew out. The shadows elongated, engulfing the chamber in yet more darkness, but shrouding the other side almost entirely.

And then, out of the darkness, it came - and it chilled them to the core.

A low growl filled the air.

One that definitely didn't come from Griffin's creatures.

* * *

Through the shrouded darkness Yugi and Griffin stared.

They'd almost completely forgotten about each other, and their original intentions of killing each other.

What was happening was just much too captivating to ignore. And strangely chilling too…

Yugi's gaze focused, looking at the darkness - or more accurately, looking _through _the darkness. He knew Yami was there - he could see his Dark's outline silhouetted even darker against the shadows, but…for some reason, Yugi couldn't sense him properly.

He could _feel _his presence, he could _see _him right there - but he couldn't sense the strong, guiding aura he had come to love so deeply. It was strange - Yugi could sense something there, it just didn't _seem _like it was Yami.

His magical senses seared almost intolerably. The Black Magics were flooding all around them now, rising like a great tide and veiling the opposite half of the room even more then before.

It was like the Black Magics were flooding out from nowhere.

_Maybe it was the magics that are disrupting my sense of Yami's aura…_

For some reason, he didn't believe that thought for a second.

Yugi gazed into the darkness. Yami's form was the same. His silhouette was still the same as the way he had looked before - like a broken, tossed away doll, having fallen victim once more to Griffin's unbreakable spell. He was still sitting there, kneeling against the wall, his arms fallen lifelessly either side of him, and his head bowed forward, those blond locks obscuring his face from view.

But not for long.

Yugi heard Griffin's gasp before he had caught on to what was happening before his own eyes.

He stared, unable to glance away. "Yami…"

The name fell from his lips in an ethereal whisper before he could stop himself.

There was something happening. The 'what' eluded him, but the bad feeling of before returned with a vengeance.

Griffin and Yugi stared some more.

Blackness swirled around darkness of the opposite side of the chamber, creating an even denser black mist around Yami. But besides that…they could still see him.

And Yugi could finally see why Griffin had gasped.

Yami was moving.

Stunned, Yugi's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief. With everything that had happened, with all the power Griffin had put into making his spell work, after pouring all that Black Magic directly into Yami's soul to regain his control over him…

Yami was _moving_.

Through the dark veil, Yugi watched.

He watched Yami stir, almost as if he was waking from a deep slumber. The movement was willowy, almost childish in its grace. Captivated, Yugi saw his lover turn his head slightly, but he didn't look up. Instead, Yami _kneeled _up.

A foreboding sensation touched the back of Yugi's mind.

It was strange.

As Yugi watched his boyfriend…he could sense Yami's aura changing. Only, he didn't understand it…

In the shadows, Yami's silhouette raised his hands to his head, holding it in his hands, touching his fingers to his temples.

The same faint sensation nipped at Yugi again, this time a little more insistent.

No, he thought vaguely. Yami's not holding his head…no, not holding he's…hiding…

_He's hiding his face. _

Yami's hands slipped from his temples, gliding over his face hidden, still by blond looks.

Suddenly, Yami took his arms away, bracing them on the ground either side on him.

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. The weird sensation of before exploded through his very spirit.

He watched Yami kneel up further, now holding one palm against the ground and now raising the other hand to brace on one propped up knee. But oddly enough…his head remained bowed, obscuring his face from view.

Another low growl accented the air, just as chilling as the previous one. It wasn't loud, but it wasn't something that could be ignored. It was the type of sound that made anything who heard it want to run away really, _really _fast.

The growl was low, almost musical and very deep. It managed to fill the air without even the slightest bit of effort, exerting its superiority and demanding attention just like a tiger would do when crossed.

There was no longer any doubt; that growl was coming from Yami.

That coupled with the fact that Yami's silhouette looked like he was about to pounce, just made the situation all the more foreboding.

Yugi saw Griffin take in involuntary step backward out of the corner of his eye. He could sense the other's sudden confusion, sudden fear - but just like Yugi, he didn't know what he was scared of.

And that made Griffin surprisingly blind and surprisingly stupid.

Griffin forced himself to take a step forward again, swinging his sword back in place, pressing it to Yugi's throat in case he tried anything before turning his attention onto his second prisoner.

"Freeze." Griffin ordered, glaring into the darkened side and at Yami's silhouetted form as best he could. "I command you!"

The outline Yami's head tilted to one side, as if cocking his head to listen to Griffin's voice.

But still, Yami paid no heed.

The growl around them deepened, reverberating even more threateningly right into their bones.

Griffin faltered, thrown out of sync again and gradually becoming more frustrated at the denials of his commands. Angrily he took another step forward, checking Yugi with a glance, making sure he wasn't going anywhere, before focusing on taking care of Yami. Staring into the darkness, Griffin's eyes trained harshly onto his captive in the shadows, now only three metres away.

"I order you to freeze!" He commanded. "You will obey me!"

Suddenly, the temperature dropped into sub-zero. Startled, both Yugi and Griffin glanced around themselves hastily, both once more freaked out by the sudden changes, especially changes that were happening in a world created by Griffin himself and yet he had no control over it whatsoever.

That wasn't _supposed _to happen.

The blackness was Griffin's alone to control - weren't they?

Black Magics were flooding in on them in every direction, flowing around them like a great, invisible sea of power. It was so strong; it overwhelmed Yugi's senses and was still getting more and more powerful with every passing moment.

Yugi threw a glance over at Griffin, trying not to panic. He looked as freaked out as Yugi felt. Yugi didn't understand it. The Black Magics were controlled by Griffin right? And if he wasn't summoning it…

_Where the hell was it coming from!_

It was then they felt it.

The sound filled the atmosphere as dominatingly as the growl had done. It slashed through the realm like the blare of a chainsaw…but it wasn't loud.

There was no sound at all.

There was no sound. Just a feeling. The sensation of a sound.

It was just like the growl. It commanded attention and streaked through the realm with no effort at all, infecting Yugi and Griffin through their very souls. This alone was a hundred times more frightening then the growl could ever be.

It was laughter.

Silent, deep, knowing…_laughter_.

Laughter that reverberated through their very souls.

Yugi trembled as the sound swirled inside him, blazing out and then all around him as if being emitted by the darkened air itself. Only, he knew it wasn't. Inexplicably scared, Yugi forced himself to look back into the shadowed void holding his lover; the laughter was coming from Yami, he just knew it.

Laughter so cold and evil, it left no sound, but still infected the air all around it.

Yugi's blood turned to ice in his veins.

As Yugi's gaze fixed on Yami again, the wall torches suddenly blazed back into life, once more illuminating the entire chamber in it's vibrant flickering light.

Partially blinded, but staring nonetheless, Yugi kept his gaze fixated on Yami.

Now with the chamber blazing with light, the scene suddenly felt colder then ever.

Even Griffin was visibly unnerved at what the light showed them.

Just as his silhouette depicted, Yami was kneeling on the ground just beside the far wall, only a few metres away from Griffin with Yugi a few metres behind Griffin.

But the way he was crouched…Yami really did look like he was a tiger about to pounce onto his prey…

Yugi regretted the thought as soon as it barged into his overly-submissive mind, but there it still was.

His lovely Dark half was still kneeling there motionless, but evidently with the ability to move again, but…

There was something majorly wrong. Something that just made the feeling of wanting to run away really fast instantly flare like wildfire through Yugi.

It was probably the fact that Yugi had ceased to sense Yami's aura the way he used to at all. It was like - he'd _changed_.

And also…that Yami's head was still bowed forward, his blond locks still obscuring his eyes from view.

Yugi swallowed thickly, gripping his bleeding arm tighter trying to keep his focus on the still motionless Yami.

"Yami?" He whispered.

There was no answer.

Yami just remained as he was, kneeling as he had been, not even acknowledging his Hikari's presence.

Silence descended.

For some reason, it was even more threatening then the growling of before - but only to Yugi.

Yugi's heart almost crashed out of his chest completely in sheer anxiety as he saw Griffin click into action - and march right up to Yami.

"You will obey me!" Griffin commanded again, his voice laced with frustration.

Yugi watched in horrified fascination as Griffin raised a palm again, now only three metres from Yami. He could sense Griffin summon his power again, pouring ever more Black Magic into Yami's already saturated soul, letting the power streak through the already heavily laden air.

It was a bad idea. A terrible idea. Such a horrific idea that for some reason Yugi knew it in the deepest depths of his soul it was the _worst _possible idea _ever_. He also knew he was much too weak to do anything to stop him, and Griffin would never listen to anything he said anyway.

So he watched the scene unfold where he was stranded.

The power of the Black Magics was overwhelming Yugi's mind. The more he stared at the scene, the more he wished to god Griffin would stop what he was doing.

It was that sensation again. The sensation that something wasn't right. He just didn't know what _it _was.

Griffin glared down at Yami, trying to rework his magics to make his spell work once more.

"You're going to obey me whether you like it or not." Griffin seethed menacingly, weaving his magics with his mind. "You can't fight me forever - "

Something in the air changed.

No…_became_.

And it wasn't the good kind of thing.

The same low growl filled the air. Only this time, it was louder, it was closer…and it was a hell of a lot more menacing then before.

Yugi's heart stopped, literally.

And Yami finally looked up.

Slowly, deliberately and _scarily _deviously…

Yugi gasped out of sheer unadulterated horror.

The blond locks lifted as the growl heightened…and they finally saw the soul reason for all the fear that had inexplicably welled in them both.

Yami's eyes were black.

Pure, shining, soulless black.

There were no irises, no whites, no other glimmer of anything else that could possibly call them human eyes - because they weren't any longer. There wasn't even a trace of the rare cerise of Yami's exquisite eyes, or even the natural whites that were supposed to be there…they were just twin almond, endless black holes.

Griffin and Yugi were staring now, rooted where they were.

And they watched as slowly, devilishly - Yami's rosy lips parted, curling up slighting in a deceitful, unnatural smile…

…only to reveal gleaming white fangs protruding from his teeth, sharpened to a razor blade - and gradually sliding out from under his own lips. His hands were no longer hands, but just fingers that had suddenly grown long, black claws, currently scraping into the ground as Yami crouched there, supporting himself on one palm against the stone, the other on his propped up knee, the claws curling slightly.

Yami's eyes focused on the two only other occupants, and then he visibly reared back, drawing in a deep breath.

Yugi suddenly knew why he could sense Yami like he used to.

That wasn't Yami anymore.

That…was a _monster_.

Yami's lips parted wider, forming a frighteningly evil smile, then he opened his mouth, revealing his glistening white fangs in all their glory…

And roared.

A petrified cry tore out of Yugi's throat before he could stop it, instantly ducking to the ground, shielding himself despite it being just a sound. No, it was more then that, the roar was unprecedented. It was deafening, soul-shredding and so threatening, even the blackness surrounding him ran shrieking away from him in caught in their own shrill screams.

It was a terrifying mixture of a T-Rex's roar, the last scream of a condemned man, and the unnatural cry of a bloodthirsty wolf.

Terrified, Yugi stumbled backwards, his heart suddenly racing in dread and his mind screaming at him to run away. But he was still weakened and extremely injured so he couldn't just get up and escape no matter how much he wanted to.

Despite all of that, only one thought broken through the panic.

This was _Yami_.

It was enough to make Yugi force himself to look up at the monster before them.

His eyes widened as he did so.

Yami was still kneeling were he was, but Griffin was suddenly looking more scared then he had probably ever been in his life. Just as Yugi had cried out in fear at the soul-searing roar - Griffin had been petrified to the spot.

And he was only three metres away from Yami.

That wasn't a good thing.

Yugi stared, watching the scene as if it was happening in slow motion.

He watched Yami snarl, his fangs gleaming like pearls in the firelight, his black eyes glistening like a black holes that imprisoned a million stars. He saw Yami's muscles contract and flex as all his sheer strength pumped to his legs, causing devastating forward momentum - all in one…strong…

Vault.

Griffin didn't even have a chance to react.

In absolute frozen horror, Yugi watched Yami bodily jump onto Griffin, the sheer strength of the attack stopping the other before he could even work out what the hell was going on.

It was only when Yami had already vaulted that Griffin finally understood what was going to happen.

It was almost a shame that he only had enough time to turn his back on Yami in futile attempt to flee…

It all happened in less then three seconds. Everything that could so easily tear an onlooker's soul to shreds; it all happened in less then three seconds.

Griffin was stopped in his tracks before he could even take the tiniest of steps.

A series of fleshy cracks tore unforgivingly through the air as Yami's left arm wrapped around Griffin's upper torso in a flash, compressing Griffin's arms to his sides all in the time it took him to finish the flawless pounce and come to rest perfectly on the ground with all the grace of a cat.

But the grace ended there. Yami was merciless in his actions. He crushed Griffin's arms to his body, literally snapping the bones like twigs, with such inhuman strength that the bones didn't just break - they _pulverised _and never once even broke the skin.

The grotesque sound of breaking bones was even more sickening then Griffin's scream.

Griffin's cry of agony turned to a vile gurgle in a millisecond under the onslaught. His ribs had been stabbed into his lungs under the sheer brute strength of Yami's arm locked around his torso, the crushed ribs puncturing them through and through. He was already choking on his own blood, trying to scream out in pain before the worst part had even come to pass.

Three seconds passed since Yami had pounced.

Griffin was on his knees as another deafening roar ripped through the air right beside his ear. The roar was so _close_, so _terrifyingly _close and so terrifyingly _bloodthirsty_…

He tried to cry out, tried to scream in terror through already flooding lungs.

It was already too late.

Yami's arm tightened further around Griffin, holding him in an iron grip as he knelt there behind him. Then his free hand rose and flexed his razor-sharp claws - before he grabbed Griffin's head by the hair, already wrenching his captive's head to one side…

Yugi didn't want to watch - but he couldn't look away.

He watched it.

He watched it all.

Metres before Yugi, Yami reared back in one last triumphant roar. Then, his lips parted, exposing those gleaming white fangs, sliding ever longer out of his mouth…

…and then with one last snarl…

…Yami sunk his fangs into Griffin's exposed neck.

Yugi's hands flew to his mouth, stemming the flood of petrified sobs that tried to escape.

His eyes filled with traumatized tears, unable to look away from the gruesome scene that was going to haunt his nightmares for years to come should it be the last.

He heard the sickening sound of Yami's fangs grate nauseatingly against Griffin's collarbone as he bit into him deeper and deeper. Heard the grotesque sound of Yami's jaws tightening with incredible torque strength - strength that offered nothing less then a satisfying fleshy crunch of the collarbone it came into contact with.

Griffin's body went into instant shock.

Tears were flooding down Yugi's cheeks now.

He was trembling. Really trembling. To the point where Yugi's breath stunted under such shaking.

He watched Griffin's body shudder, convulsing wildly in silence under the shock. He watched thick, scarlet blood pouring out of his neck under Yami's fangs. It spilled like a waterfall over Yami's lips, over Griffin's body, pooling around him in a lake of cold, deep red syrup.

Blood was gushing out in a cascade, surging out as Yami tore through the jugular vein in Griffin's neck, ruthlessly tearing into the soft tissue.

But as much blood as was being spilled…it only just occurred to Yugi, it wasn't nearly enough for someone Griffin's size…

It struck him. And Yugi stared in pure, unadulterated horror.

Yami was drinking Griffin's blood.

Half of it was spilling out, the other half was flowing down Yami's throat.

And Yami's black eyes were half-closed - taking immense pleasure in his torture.

Griffin's body shuddered even harder, his green eyes dilating as the shock to his system intensified. He wasn't fighting back - he couldn't even if he tried.

Yami was killing him…slowly, deliberately…and enjoying every moment of it.

Yami held Griffin like that for only a few seconds, but to Yugi it felt like an eternity.

He was staring at his _lover_. His _boyfriend_. The one person he loved more then the world.

And there he was…drinking the blood of the one that feared him most…and killing him in cold, heartless, malevolent blood.

Yugi had never been so terrified in his life.

He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't look way.

He was shaking so hard. The gruesome image imprinted forever on his eyes making them fill with petrified tears. His hands were still pressed to his mouth, scared to death that the sobs and whimpers of terror that threatened to get out would attract Yami's attention to him.

He was frozen where he was.

And Yugi was suddenly scared to death of the one person he loved more then anything.

It was all over in less then ten seconds.

Or so Yugi thought.

Across from him, Yami finally let Griffin fall from his grip. Blood dripped like scarlet honey from his fangs, rolling down the edges of his lips to his chin before falling in a perfect droplet - only to splash into the blood-lake around the fallen body at his feet.

Yami's fangs retracted, but only so far. They came to rest lightly over his lower lip as he drew back slightly, still glistening in the firelight. Something in Yami's pure black eyes changed; something entered them, joining the hatred and evilness of before.

It was almost like…curiosity.

Yami drew back, returning to the cat-like stance of before. Crouched, but ready to pounce within a millisecond. His gaze aimed downward, a low throaty growl escaping his bloody lips.

He was looking at Griffin.

After a moment, Yugi realised why.

Aside from Yami's menacingly low snarling, only one other sound punctured the air.

A sound so tiny, so quiet, so _not _threatening…a sound Yugi had heard _before_.

A sound like…that of a pin popping a minuscule balloon that was being held under a big fluffy pillow.

There it was again.

Yugi's breath caught in devastating realisation. He looked up in pure dread.

Griffin was still alive.

He was only just barely breathing, unable to work his own lungs effectively.

It was just like the way Griffin had forced Yami to stop breathing before…all to get Yugi to give him up…

His own lungs were so battered, so mutilated on the inside, they were refusing to work just like he had made Yami feel before.

Yugi stared at Griffin.

He began to tremble again, harder then before. Yugi's heart raced in horror, his own breathing suddenly altering to rapid, silent gasps of _panic _breathing…

Griffin was lying on his front only metres away, drenched in a pool of his own cold, dead blood. He looked so bloody, so battered, so grotesquely mutilated from his torn neck and throat - offering the sickening view of his veins hanging out and trailing though the blood-lake around him.

Yugi tried to hold the quiet whimper back - but he couldn't.

Griffin was looking at him.

Those green eyes that used to fill Yugi with fear were now mirroring that terror. Griffin's eyes locked onto his. Boring into Yugi's gaze with eyes suddenly brimming with silent pleading…_begging_…begging for help…

The image was haunting, frightening. Something that should've been in a horror movie rather then right in front of him.

Yugi trembled where he was. Tears flowed out of him from petrified fear.

Griffin was slowly reaching out a broken arm to him. He was gradually inching his way towards Yugi, begging in silent pleas for help. Begging for help to get away from Yami…

_Yami…_

Yugi's gaze slowly rose up from Griffin.

Yami was still crouched as he had been when he released Griffin. And yet he still had that look of curiosity in his magically flooded black eyes…

He wasn't looking at Griffin.

He was _watching _Griffin.

Yami was watching Griffin try to sustain his life. He was watching him trying to plea for aid from another that he had been torturing in the most evil of ways. He was watching Griffin trying to escape his inevitable fate for all he had committed…

Yugi's hands slowly slipped away from his lips.

Yami was still watching Griffin, but he was moving. No, he was raising his right hand - just one hand.

Yugi felt the Black Magics mould within his lover.

Yami flexed his fingers - and then it happened.

Yugi's eyes widened.

Yami's claws began to lengthen. Within seconds they had elongated into Freddie Krueger-like blades, each diamond sharp and blacker then obsidian.

Griffin was still trying to crawl towards Yugi with more failure then success. His broken bones crackled repulsively, no doubt causing excruciating pain, and yet…Griffin was still trying.

And Yami didn't like that.

A sharp gasp escaped Yugi before he could stop himself.

The unmistakable sound of claws clashing with stone slashed the air.

Yugi pressed a hand to his mouth again.

Only this time, he was suppressing the scream he was about to set free.

Yami had suddenly and swiftly stabbed all five claws of his hand directly into Griffin's back. They had sliced cleanly through the flesh, the organs and Griffin's heart…and thudded to a stop when his claws met the stone floor.

Yami continued to watch Griffin.

He watched how Griffin shuddered in silence, his lungs too flooded to even offer a gurgled scream. He watched Griffin attempt to struggle. And he watched as Griffin refused to die.

Yugi whimpered, trying so hard not to break down completely right then and there. Despite everything Griffin had done, he wanted to help him. Yugi wanted to save him, but he was too weak, too injured by Griffin's own hand to even offer the slightest shred of help. This was nightmare, a complete nightmare.

Those green eyes were locked onto his own, pleading and screaming in silence as blood suddenly came flowing out of Griffin's lips, pinned to the ground where he lay.

He was begging Yugi for help - but even he knew there was nothing he could do.

Yami was still watching Griffin. The curiosity in his eyes was still there, almost childlike but far from innocent - and frighteningly more evil then anyone could ever imagine.

And he didn't want Griffin to live anymore.

Yugi cringed at the sound. It grated straight into his mind, wreaking horrifically through his very soul.

It was the sound of claws scraping against stone. A sound a hundred times more coarse then nails on a blackboard.

Yugi tore his gaze away from Griffin's and forced himself to look at Yami again.

He wished to god he hadn't.

Yami was still watching Griffin. Only now - he was watching Griffin die. He was slowly, deliberately, excruciatingly…drawing his claws down.

Claws scraped against stone.

And claws severed clear though every major organ in Griffin's body. Yami had already made five perfect punctures into his captive's form, now he was tearing through the soft flesh with five claws in five perfect slashes - slicing clear down Griffin's back.

And Yami was watching him…watching him die.

Yugi saw the remaining blood spill out of Griffin, adding to the blood pool making it flow ever wider around him. Then he saw Griffin's eyes lock onto his own once more, before finally…

…all his stolen life drained away completely.

Tears filled Yugi's eyes as all life-force evaporated from Griffin's eyes, staring, open, vacant and mostly definitely - dead.

His small body convulsed with savage sobs as Yugi looked up at Yami, sickened to the core at what he had just done. It was so horrifying, Yugi couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't even begin to think about the terror his body had frozen up in.

But Yami still wasn't paying attention to him.

He was still staring at Griffin, almost as if he was assessing whether or not he was dead.

A disgusting fleshy sound streaked the air as Yami abruptly pulled out his claws.

He turned his head slightly to one side, his black eyes forgetting Griffin to gaze at his own claws. The ebony blades were dripping thickly, blood falling like rain at Yami's feet. He stared at it with the same gruesome fascination and curiosity that he had watched Griffin die.

His head bowed, Yami's blond locks shielding his eyes from view, but still he watched his claws retract shorter, gazing at the way Griffin's blood trickled over his hand interestedly.

Yugi's heart stopped.

Griffin was dead and there was only one other person left in the entire Realm…

This was _bad_.

Yugi froze as a low snarl accented the air. He froze in petrified fear, not even shaking anymore.

And then…like the death glance of a tiger to a gazelle -Yami turned. He raised his head…

…and with glistening black eyes - he gazed directly at Yugi.

There was a moment of nothing.

Both froze. Both stared. But only one was truly terrified.

In that moment, every single word Leo had told him of the Black Magics flooded into Yugi's mind. They crowded into his head, screamed at him for attention and then blended into one, clear, voice.

And Yugi finally understood what happened to the one he had come to love so deeply.

Black Magic was the opposite hand to the Divine Scales. The other half of the Yin-Yang symbol. The Black Magics were the complete opposite of the White Magics…White was Innocence and Black was Evil.

Yugi was the White Magics. He was innocent. He was brimming with the power, it inundated his very soul. He was Innocence. He was the vessel of the White Magics. Innocence of purity. And these two concepts…were just other words for an _angel_.

Yugi was the White Magics. He was an angel.

But Yami…

Yugi's heart ached.

Griffin had been playing with a power he didn't understand; it was exactly the way Leo said it. He hadn't known the true destructive power of pure evil set free, Griffin had been so blinded by thoughts of revenge, hatred and obsessive infatuation, he hadn't picked up on it in five thousand years. Black Magic was pure magic, the first of its kind, the opposite of the Divine Scales, and just like the power Yugi possessed now - it had a mind of it's own.

The Black Magic had it's own mind, and it's own agenda. And it had it's own will to play too.

Griffin had tried so hard to force his spell onto Yami, he'd poured ever more of the destructive power into him. More and more, letting the magics well denser and denser…

Tears stung Yugi's eyes. Tears of sorrow.

One tiny flame couldn't possibly fight against a tidal wave of water towering over it. With every drop of the evil magics Griffin had poured into Yami, a little more of his soul had been consumed into nothingness.

And now there was nothing left to fight the blackness.

The being staring at Yugi only metres away wasn't even human anymore.

Behind those black eyes was no trace of Yami. There hadn't been since the jewelled dagger had fallen from Yami's frozen hands. The Black Magics had taken him over completely, brutally shoving away everything about him to take over his body, his _life_.

And this creature was left.

It had no soul. It had no innocence. It was a monster. It was creature of nothing else but pure evil.

It was a _demon_.

Demons were the children of Black Magics just as angels were the children of White. Demons were forged of Black Magic and lived only for chaos and destruction, only lived to cause blood to spill. To tear apart all balance and kill all life…

It all made sense now. When Leo had told him how the gods had set the Black Magics free, it must've created demons, forging them out of itself to do it's evil bidding. It was the demons that caused carnage across the worlds in the short time it was set free…

And he was one of them now. Just as Yugi's body was being used as a host, so was Yami's - only his magics didn't embrace him, they _controlled _him.

Yami was a demon.

Yugi couldn't feel Yami's warm, guiding, comforting aura anymore; he hadn't been able to for a while and now he understood why.

Across the chamber, he watched Yami watching him. He could see the same curiosity sparkling darkly through black eyes, but that wasn't all he saw.

Yugi's blood ran cold. And the terror set in once more.

He saw Yami's fangs glinting in the firelight. He saw those black eyes shimmer with vicious desire to devour more blood, cause more destruction, but most of all, Yugi saw the ancient lust to rid all the worlds of the balance of life and cause chaos instead in his wake.

Another thought suddenly struck Yugi. One that he really wished he hadn't thought of.

He knew what Yami had become, so that meant…Yami _knew _who he was too.

Recognition flared through black eyes.

Yugi gasped in fear as Yami reared back where he kneeled, his lips parting as another deafening roar sated the air, reverberating straight through Yugi's very soul.

All Yugi saw was the sparkle of blood-soaked fangs sliding out as Yami pounced, soaring over Griffin's dead body and heading straight for him…

A note of pure ethereal music entered Yugi's heart before his ears.

In a millisecond he turned, adrenalin pumping though him.

He saw what he needed.

Instincts and magic took over, melding into one.

He darted to one side.

He ignored the flash-flood of pain.

He reached.

He grasped.

And he came to rest.

One second passed.

Yami regarded him silently, blazing fury replacing the curiosity of before momentarily. His fangs retracted back, slinking back from where he stood, crouching back on the ground again, ready to strike as he had done before.

Yugi's heart was pounding. It was beating so hard, he was sure it was going to break out of his chest at any moment. He couldn't believe what had just happened. It was like natural survival skills had coupled with the White Magics inside his to make him do what he needed to do without even consulting his heart, his mind or his body first.

And now Yugi was holding the Destiny Sword out in his left hand, the gently pulsing blade pointing directly at Yami.

It had been the only reason Yami had stopped mid-attack. Somehow the Destiny Sword had called Yugi's attention, then the a sheer adrenalin rush had given him the strength and his magics had given him the ability to dart three metres to his right, grasp the Sword and swing it around to aim at Yami - all in the one second it took Yami to attack with murder in mind.

But the moment had passed and the adrenalin was beginning to fade.

The blade of the Destiny Sword quivered in his grip. Yugi was naturally right-handed but his right arm was still deeply slashed and hung limply at his side, too severed to be of barely any use at all. That wasn't the only reason the Sword trembled in his grip.

It trembled not only because of the alien grip, but because Yugi's strength was once more leaving him - and so was his ability to stay conscious. Without his left hand to stem the bleeding in his right arm, his severed arm was once more letting his blood spill out of his body faster then ever before. The nerves were hacked to ribbons and the main artery had been sliced clear through, meaning all his precious blood was surging out of the wound, dripping down his fingers and pooling onto the ground beside him. He was losing the very fluid that held his life-force and it was dragging him deeper and faster into unconsciousness with each passing second.

Yugi tried to keep his grip secure on the weapon, grateful he was still kneeling on the ground so he couldn't fall.

Across from him, Yami watched him, the curiosity returning to his blackened eyes. His head tilted to one side, assessing the other quietly, nothing but a low snarl escaping his lips as he sensed his ancient enemy residing deep within the little human. He leaned forward slightly, aware of the Destiny Sword and nimbly avoiding it, peering around it to study it's wielder.

Yugi gazed at Yami, forcefully fighting back the dizziness that threatened to consume him. He poured all his strength into keeping the blade raised, aimed and vaguely steady. He gazed at his lover. Yami was still watching him, his movements lithe and graceful, almost silky and surprisingly catlike.

Yugi saw the blackness flare in Yami's eyes, riling up as the White Magics pulsed through the Sword. He could feel the whiteness welling inside of him, as if summoning on it's own accord for the soul reason of being so close to it's ancient enemy and dying to battle again as they had done for millennia upon millennia since before time itself.

Yami growled again, recoiling suddenly as if sensing the summoning of the White power within the other.

Yugi blinked, trying to focus and keep his mind working as well as keep the Sword held menacingly enough for Yami not to attack, but he was losing blood fast and even if Yami did pounce on him - he didn't think he could ever harm his lover, even if he had been overcome by evil.

Tears stung Yugi's eyes.

The more he looked, the more he only saw Yami kneeling there before him. In his heart of hearts, he knew he couldn't turn his sword on Yami, not if there was still a trace of him in there - the very heart of his soul could never allow him.

Yugi came to a decision.

"Yami?" He said softly, fighting back the dizziness. "Yami can you hear me?"

There was no answer. The monster before him silenced. Yami just regarded him just like before, those black eyes giving nothing away but vacant intrigue as to what the other was doing.

Yugi's heart thudded, the memory of his wonderful Dark making it ache excruciatingly. He forced his emotions to quieten, even suppressing the sudden wave of love that spilled out of him faster and denser then his own blood.

He watched the demon watching him.

"Yami," Yugi said softly, lovingly. "If you can hear me…I love you. I love you with all my heart. I-I just wanted you to know that."

Yami regarded him silently once more. The words had no effect at all, washing over the other entirely. His black eyes flickered with curiosity, watching with interest the tears that slipped down the younger teenager's face.

Yugi closed his eyes, silently hating everything that had happened to make them both go through all of this.

And slowly, he lowered the Destiny Sword, carefully placing it on the floor beside him.

He could feel the power within in screaming at him in misunderstanding, in shock and denial, screaming at him to pick it up even if it was just the last line of defines.

Yugi didn't listen. He forced the power away. He needed to do this, just for the sake of his own heart.

He opened his eyes again, half expecting to see Yami already in the air, about to kill him as gruesomely as he'd killed Griffin. His spirit leapt seeing Yami still crouched where he was, not once moving as Yugi had lowered the Destiny Sword. Oddly enough, he was still watching Yugi, as if waiting to see what the Hikari would do.

"I don't care anymore." Yugi said softly, gazing at the other truthfully. "This world can go to hell and burn there."

He let the gathering tears fall as he lifted his bleeding arm into his lap with the other; stemming the blood loss so he could think clearer and be ready for either decision should it come.

"And I will burn with it - as long as you're no longer here." Yugi whispered. He looked at the demon with eyes inundated with sorrow-filled love. "I don't want to fight you Yami…I couldn't. If any part of you is still in there then I'll know I can save you."

Yugi took a deep breath, locking onto black, soulless eyes.

"If you attack me, then I'll know there's nothing left to fight for." He said softly. "I'll let you kill me and the gateway will close forever. Then you and the White Magic can battle forever trapped in this Realm."

Yugi fought back a sob.

"Love me or kill me." Yugi whispered. "I'll live by your heart or die by your hand."

More tears slipped silently down his cheeks.

"It's your choice."

Silence descended.

Yugi watched Yami, his heart racing ever faster in his chest. He forced himself not to flinch as the demon drew nearer, his eyes flickering to the harmless Destiny Sword lying on the ground just out of reach. His movements were oddly graceful for a beast sated with evil. Yami stole closer and closer, until he was directly in front of Yugi.

The curiosity returned to Yami's eyes, overwhelming the evil blackness once more. His gaze focused on the glistening wet trails on Yugi's face, almost studying them, as if trying to fathom what they were and why they streamed from the other's eyes.

Again, Yugi forced himself not to flinch as Yami raised his hand, feeling the icy touch of those obsidian claws lightly graze his cheek, exploring those fallen tears. He gasped sharply, quietly, as they grazed over his skin, trying so hard to keep himself from shying away. He knew Yami was trying to figure out why he was crying even if no demon could possibly understand the meaning of tears shed for a loved one.

He watched Yami's head tilt to one side slightly, staring at the tear that he'd caught in his claws, gazing at the wetness that glistened in the firelight.

Yugi closed his eyes, his heart suddenly aching. Even if the touch was freezing cold, evil and devoid of all love - he so longed for Yami's touch, demon or not, Yugi wished so hard that he could feel his lover's touch once again.

Yugi felt the claw trace over his cheek lightly, gliding down at first, trailing the path of his tears before sliding up again and slip through his blond locks, as if taking in the sheer texture of the teenager.

As he did this, Yami's free arm snaked around Yugi's waist, pulling him closer, tighter, drawing him into an embrace all the while still running his claws through Yugi's hair.

Yugi kept his eyes closed.

The Hikari's heart was pounding so hard, his breathing shallow, escaping him in quiet stunted breaths and tears were still streaming from his eyes. It was all from just one single thought.

Yami was taking him in his arms.

It had been the only thing Yugi had ever wanted ever since his lover had been stolen away from him.

Just to be clasped in his arms once more…

"Yami…" Yugi whispered lovingly.

Love burst trough Yugi's heart uncontrollably, mixing chaotically with happiness, relief and unadulterated joy at the gesture.

Yugi opened his eyes.

And froze.

Yami was millimetres away from him, their gazes locking instantly.

And his bliss vanished in an instant - and was replaced with pure, untainted…dread.

There was only malice reflecting in those black eyes. All the evil, cruelty and wickedness of the Black Magics itself.

_Only _the Black Magics.

And Yugi _knew_.

Yami was well and truly gone.

Yugi's eyes widened as he saw the fangs lengthen in a flash, that sickeningly sweet smile crossing the demon's lips, filled with evil intent. A devastating snarl slashed the silent air, petrifying Yugi to the core.

Yami's arm tightened around Yugi's waist in a millisecond, his other hand instantly grasping Yugi's hair in death-grip claws, wrenching Yugi's head to one side, and exposing his throat…

There was no time to react, no chance to fight back - and no chance in hell Yugi could get out of this.

All he heard, was the demon's last deafening roar …

…before Yami sunk his fangs into Yugi's neck.

* * *

Note – Oooo, now **that's** a proper cliff-hanger. 

And two gruesome deaths in a row too!


	39. Soul Destruction 2

Chapter 39 – Soul Destruction 2

Trauma set it instantly.

Yugi froze in Yami's arms, his eyes wide with sudden shock. He could feel Yami's fangs piercing through his skin, pulling him tighter to gorge on him. His fangs grated harshly against Yugi's collarbone to the point where he could hear his own bones crushing under the sheer force.

Yugi's lips parted, trying to cry out in excruciating agony - but no sound issued from his mouth. His throat closed up, his breathing stopping altogether, stemming his silent scream before it came to pass leaving the agony only to reflect through shimmering amethyst eyes.

Yugi could feel everything in devastating clarity. He could feel his heart pounding, pumping his blood out of his body from the puncture wounds, half flowing down Yami's throat and half slipping over his form, pooling around him like a cascade of ruby honey.

Yugi's senses were dimming fast, but he didn't care. He didn't care his life was draining away. He didn't care it was the form of the one he had come to love so much that was currently killing him.

All he cared about was the fact that Yami was gone.

It broke his heart way beyond repair.

Even if his body wasn't in nervous shock, he wouldn't have tried to stop the demon anyway. Yugi was true to his word. If he couldn't live with by Yami's heart, he would willingly die without him.

This creature that was taking his life wasn't the one he loved. This demon had already stolen him away, and crushed his heart along the way.

Tears filled Yugi's eyes. As crazed, random thoughts from the shock raced through his mind.

This would never have happened if Griffin had left Yami alone. None of this would have happened at all…but Yugi knew that even Griffin had been used by the Black Magics.

Yugi closed his eyes, his body beginning to numb from the blood loss, his nervous system fizzling out entirely, leaving nothing but the sensation of coldness flooding through him as the warmth his blood offered flowed out.

He could still feel Yami as the demon held him. He felt cold. Colder then Yugi was beginning to feel; colder then ice itself.

But he could still feel Yami.

Even if he wasn't there anymore, this was still Yami's body. The same body he'd touched a thousand times before. The same body that had held him like this a thousand times before. Even the same body that had made love to him so many times before too.

And yet…

Within his lover's body was an ancient magic.

Black Magic.

It was evil. It was chaos. It was malice.

Pure and simple.

Realisation coursed through Yugi's overcast mind.

It didn't _understand_.

The ancient magics didn't understand what Yugi had done. The way Yami had been watching everything he had done, watching even as Griffin had died by his own attack - Yami had been watching it all in _curiosity_.

Even when Yugi had laid down his Sword and only line of defence all for one ultimatum, the demon still had been watching him in curiosity - in _misunderstanding_.

The Black Magics didn't understand the concepts of life, of love, of self-sacrifice for that love.

It only lived for chaos…

Evil couldn't understand love because it could only be comprehended by something that understood balance - the _balance _of love between two people.

The fact still remained, Black and White may be equal in power and strength - but they were different. They were _opposites_. Yugi had given his life away out of love, and love was balance. But Black Magic didn't understand love because of this. The blackness only understood the opposite hand - lust. Lust was one-sided, the chaotic side the mind that was devoid of all logic. It was the deep, dark desire of the soul that came from sheer wanting without love ever being part of it.

Lust was obsession - a type of chaos that couldn't be sated by any balance.

That was why the Black Magic had accepted Griffin's suicide as tribute to it five thousand years ago; that was why it taught Griffin how to release it and how to wield it. Griffin had been obsessed with Yami, it was never about love, it was about lust - the desire for something for only surface reasons. Lust was just another gateway back to chaos, just as death and destruction was.

The demon couldn't possibly understand why Yugi had done what he did for the soul reason that it was _chaos_.

So even if the demon was killing him…

…it didn't understand why Yugi had let himself be sacrificed.

And for that, Yugi couldn't blame him for his actions. The demon was just killing him to take away the balance of life from him and send him into the chaos of death. He couldn't blame the demon for killing him; he creature didn't know any better.

Yugi's heart would never allow him to.

Yugi drew in a shaky breath, his heart and mind suddenly quieting enough to allow him some control back over his body. But he didn't use it to fight back, he didn't use it to shove Yami away - no, he used it for the only thing he needed… just to die with a clear conscience.

"I forgive you." He whispered.

His voice was barely audible - but it was enough.

Yami froze.

Out of Yugi's sight, black eyes snapped open in a flash. Far from the sheer pleasure of the feasting before, Yami's eyes were suddenly and inexplicably filled with…

_Fear_.

A strangled cry seared through the entire chamber.

And Yugi was instantly released.

The Hikari stumbled backward onto his elbows, feeling the sickening sensation of fangs sliding out of his flesh before he was abruptly thrown away from his captor. Dizzy and disorientated from the blood loss, Yugi struggled to drag himself up into sitting position, struggling even harder to get his mind to focus.

There were sounds all around him. Hideous shrieking that Yugi couldn't place. They echoed around him like the death cries of a crazed vulture.

Yugi shook his head, trying to clear the fluff from his mind and looked up, forcing himself to focus on what was going on.

He froze at what he saw.

Yami was right in front of him. But far from the grace of before, he was writhing in such agony that even Yugi hadn't felt through his ordeal. The demon was lying on his back on the stone floor, clutching his head in his hands. His claws raked through his hair and over his head as agonised cries escaped in fevered roars from his throat.

Yugi stared at him stunned.

The demon was suddenly in immense pain, but Yugi hadn't done a thing to him.

All Yugi wanted to see was his lover's body wreaked with excruciating pain that he could save him from - but he didn't. He could still see those soulless black eyes replacing the former cerise ones that used to fill Yugi with joy whenever they were cast upon him. It was those eyes alone that showed him this wasn't the Yami he fell so hard for.

And suddenly, Yugi knew what he had to do.

He closed his eyes briefly, letting the tears fall.

Light quells the Darkness; he already knew that. He had captured his own Dark's heart because of this one truth.

White quells Black…that was different.

The ancient powers were equal in strength and power…but White still overcame Black.

Why?

They were equal, but they were _different_.

Yugi had begun to understand it earlier, but only so far as to unlock an ancient secret and unleashed the Destiny Sword. He'd witnessed the Black Magics shrink away as the pure White Magics of the Destiny Sword or himself neared it. Even when Yue had shot the White Arrow into Griffin's arm, Yugi had seen the magics that created Griffin's body running away screaming from the White Magics.

Yugi understood it now.

White was balance and Black was chaos.

The innocence of White.

The evil of Black.

The balance of White.

The chaos of Black.

They were opposites; Black Magic only offered hysteria, discord and death, but White Magic offered balance, harmony and life.

It was the White Magic's balance that quelled the Black. It all made sense now. The sole reason the Black Magic was afraid of the White was because they were too equal to infect each other, but the promise of balance was the only force that could trap the Black.

Black was afraid of White because it could trap the Black in balance - the balance of an eternal battle.

It was the yin-yang symbol. Black and White were opposites, were equal - but they were always locked in a battle that would never be won by either side.

That battle was a _balance_.

That was why White and Black were always sealed together.

White always quells Black…

Yugi opened his eyes again. All the thoughts, the understanding and the ancient truths had inundated his mind in the space of only a few seconds, but now he _knew_.

And that knowledge unlocked the rest of the magical secrets of the power he held. It showed in only one possible way.

Yugi's eyes where now pure, shining White.

But still tears fell. Yugi understood the ancient magics now, but it didn't matter anyway. He wasn't going to use it.

He didn't need to.

Yugi reached out his left hand with the last few drops of strength he had left - and he grasped the Destiny Sword's golden filigree hilt from where the weapon lay beside him.

His vision blurred as he dragged the weapon into his hand, forcing his injured right arm to work just to help him raise the Sword off the ground.

Yugi's heart ached as he looked down at Yami, still writhing in pain before him. Even if he did understand the magics now, he still didn't understand what had made Yami stop - but that didn't matter now.

As he looked at the creature that lay before him, he could still only see the body of his lover, the body that had given his boyfriend a new life and memories that made it worthwhile.

Yugi struggled to his knees, falling at Yami's side.

White quells Black.

It had always been the way, no matter the devastation it left in it's wake.

Yugi's shimmering white eyes locked onto endless black ones, his heart shattering to dust in the breeze.

He raised the blade with all his remaining effort, clasping the hilt in both hands.

The ancient powers could never be freed. The magics would just break out from this realm and cause carnage across worlds once more…

He had to do this - even at the cost of his own heart.

"I love you." Yugi whispered.

And plunged the Destiny Sword into Yami's heart.

Light filled the entire chamber, almost blindingly bright. Yugi's grip fell from the Sword as he was forced backward under the burst of power. He heard Yami's demonic scream hack through the air, the shriek resounding horrifically through the entire realm, but he had to see - he had to see it for himself.

Yugi dragged his gaze up from where he'd fallen and stared through the billowing White Light. He watched in shock at the Destiny Sword stabbed into Yami's heart. It was pulsing with White Magic, casting out the blinding light all around him.

But it wasn't the pain of the wound the Sword caused that was making Yami scream; he was screaming out of terror.

Pure Black Light was snaking all around the Destiny Sword, every last ounce of the evil magics being forcibly ripped from Yami's body and travelling up the Sword's blade to the halo of White Magic forming above it.

The Destiny Sword was sealing the Black Magic away within it's bounds, the two pure forms clashing outside of Yugi's and Yami's host forms in order to restart the eternal battle of the Divine Scales once more.

The demon's back arched in pain and distress as the power was ripped out of it's stolen body, becoming vulnerable to the pure form of White Magics in the form of the Destiny Sword and once more being sealed back to whenst it came.

Yami's demonic scream was unprecedented - and so was his human one.

Yugi kneeled by the wall where he had been thrown, his heart suddenly and inexplicably going berserk in his chest.

He watched the steady stream of Black Magics lessen as they exited Yami's body and vanished into the halo above. He watched as the Destiny Sword too burst into White Light and began to disperse into the vortex with the last remaining Black.

But it wasn't what Yugi saw that stripped all hope from him entirely.

It was what he heard.

And what he heard, was Yami's demonic scream changing to a human scream.

In a flash all magics were gone. White and Black vanished without a trace, leaving nothing but the flickering firelight of the replica chamber left behind.

There was silence.

But only for a moment.

Yugi pressed his hands to his mouth. Vibrant amethyst eyes streamed with tears. His whole body convulsed with savage, silent sobs stemming even deeper then his soul.

Distress engulfed him.

He stared, unable to look away.

And stared into the rarest, most beautiful of crimson eyes.

They were open, vacant and staring - right into Yugi's eyes.

And they were most definitely dead.

The sobs burst out of Yugi, no longer able to contain his grief. His mind was overrun, his body unable to cope - and his heart taking on the anguish that no one should ever have to feel. The grief of a murdered love one.

In the middle of the Soul Room, Yami's lifeless body gradually vanished in a shimmer of golden sparkles leaving Yugi well and truly alone once more.

It was finally over.

And Yugi broke down.

His devastated sobs filled the silent air, his broken heart shattering further and further, his shattered spirit melting into eternal darkness …and he cried, and cried, and cried…

…for his lost love.


	40. Reflection

Note – HEY HEY! I'm back yet again! Wow, this chapter is a late one to be posted – I actually had this one written up and ready to be updated two weeks ago, but then I get struck down by flu! Can you believe that run of luck? This chapter itself was the hardest thing I've ever had to write in the first place since I've, thankfully, never lost a friend before. Anyway, I hope I did you guys proud with this chapter, just get your tissues ready – you may need them!

Note 2 – this is to 'Innocent' and whoever would like to know: about the ribcage breaking, it's actually very flexible and can take huge amounts of pressure from the front and still retain its shape, but if it's compressed by the side, the ribs are more brittle and shatter inside the chest cavity. When Yami grabbed Griffin, he had one arm locked around the torso and the pressure points would be on griffin's sides from Yami's bicep and his hand, crushing him sideways. (By the way all of this is taken from my dad who is a doctor so its all legitimate). Oh and all the other nitpicks Innocent picked out – they were honest mistakes, as amazingly fantastic as I am, I'm not perfect so no nitpicking okay? I've already made the changes on the original copy of the fic.

Note 3 – ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter40 – Reflection 

It was dawn.

Sunlight was streaming into the Moto household through the many huge windows that adorned the magically enhanced house. It was one of the first features that Yugi, Yami and Grandpa had agreed had to be changed about the home three years ago when Yami had joined their family for good. One of the many characteristics that just had to be changed over the years that the household had grown and developed, just like the magically stretched corridor upstairs allowing for so many more spacious rooms then the outside let on.

The windows were a lovely feature.

Especially in the mornings when the sun had only just risen. They allowed the golden rays accented with the pinkened sky to spill so strikingly prettily into the quiet house.

But it was different now.

The sun had still just risen, the gold-pink rays still poured in through the windows illuminating everything and all so attractively, but it was… _different_.

The _bad _kind of different.

The house was silent as a graveyard. There was no comforting aura of still-slumbering inhabitants; all lost in peaceful dreams just like every other sunrise to date since the house had been altered three years ago. Today, there was just silence.

There were no spirits doused in peaceful slumber, nor where there bliss filled dreams filling every mind under the roof.

It was a strange concept to this particular house. It was far from empty, but it was far from the warm place it had been the night before. The eleven occupants just stayed locked in silence as the dawn sated the once happy home.

No one had slept. No one could sleep.

It was doubtful they could ever again.

On the window seat by the vast windows, Joey vaguely heard the door to the living room swing open with a low creek. Tearing his gaze away from the chaste sunrise, he turned his head, his eyes sweeping the silent forms of Sakura, Ryou, Bakura and Tea sitting absently on the sofa, and settling on the new occupant in the room.

"How is he?" Joey asked softly.

The others glanced up as the silence broke for the first time in hours.

Krysta sighed sadly, shaking her head. "Still the same. He hasn't moved in hours and is still refusing food, sleep, and he still won't say a word."

Silence fell again. There just wasn't anything else to say. Yugi hadn't changed since the moment they had returned. He'd just locked himself in his bedroom and done nothing more then fall into ever more grief.

Outside the living room there were a series of thuds followed by a small crash, and then they heard the tinkle of the bell above the front door of the Game Shop half of the ground floor as it opened and then slammed shut again in rapid succession.

There was a distant scream that gradually faded away.

Krysta sighed again, unsurprised. "There goes another doctor." She glanced out the window just as a car engine revved and sped off with a screech. "That's the third one in an hour."

"Grandpa's still insisting on calling them?" Joey wondered vaguely.

Ryou glanced at Krysta apprehensively. "What's he doing to them?"

"Probably just warping their minds into thinking something terrible's happening to them." Bakura stated quietly. "Enough to make them run away screaming."

The silence softened as the others watched Bakura tighten his arms around Ryou protectively, for once in his life, not having anything remotely sadistic or tactless to say. He'd been like that since they'd returned.

Considering it was Bakura, this was strangely unnerving.

Sakura's eyes widened, finally making her mind work through the grief and shock to see what the others already knew. "So he's still…"

Joey nodded, as unsurprised as the other older teenagers that it had taken her so long to process it considering what had happened. Sakura hadn't ever lost anyone close to her that she could remember and she was the youngest, so she was the most unprepared for this turn of events then any of them.

"Yeah, Yugi's still supercharged with White Magic." Joey said.

There was more silence. There really wasn't anything else to say.

None of them had talked about what happened since they'd returned home without Yami. None of them could barely face it, let alone talk about it. They just hadn't had the heart to even confront it long enough to accept what had happened really did - _happen_. It was like they were all caught in the limbo of disbelief and acceptance, and could go either way at any moment.

When they'd all sensed Yugi's magics falter around the gateway, it had been indescribable. The sensation of the White Magic was incredible in itself, but when it had flickered like that - it had been disturbing. Even when they saw Yugi's magics falter and crumble completely, it had unsighted nothing more then absolute dread in his friends.

Yugi was the embodiment of the all-powerful White Magic; his powers _couldn't _falter. Therefore the reason that it did, had to mean something was majorly wrong with Yugi himself.

At the time, the idea had just nipped urgently at the back of their minds, but considering what was going on, none had probed for further insight. The gateway had still been unbreakably shielded, keeping anyone from passing through. The shield itself had been created of translucent White Magic, and so obscuring a lot of what was happening in Griffin's dimension as well as distorting the sound to the point where the group had no idea the sheer scope of what was going on beyond the gateway.

Even when the shield around the gateway finally had broken down completely, neither of them registered _why _it did before they were all rushing to step through the gateway to get to Yugi and Yami again. There was no time to reflect on what had happened to Yugi's shield, all they wanted to do was get to their friends and offer aid as much as they could.

It was only after Seto, Leo and Yue had stepped through the free gateway that now offered a clear image of the dimension beyond for the others to see, that the true magnitude of what had happened to make the White Magics falter finally hit them in devastating clarity.

The three young men and the onlookers behind in the Mortal Realm could see what was going on, they could see everything in such minute detail, they all knew they couldn't possibly sleep peacefully ever again after what they had witnessed.

The gateway had cleared and the three teenagers had stepped through just in time to see the beautifully crafted Destiny Sword being stabbed harshly into Yami's heart by Yugi's own hands, hearing nothing more then the deafening scream of a demon-turned human as Yami died before their eyes.

They had frozen on the spot, staring in horrified paralysis as Yugi's hands fell away from the golden filigree hilt of the Sword and he stumbled back under the pulse of White Light as the weapon burst into magical energy. They had watched how the Destiny Sword scattered and reforming into a pure white, glistening mini-galaxy above Yami and slowly, excruciatingly, drew out the Black Magic from the demon, sealing it away one more within the celestial battle of ages and back into the binds of a balance.

Stunned, they had watched it all. Heard as the demonic scream turned back into a human scream of agony, slowly dying away. And they had watched as the blackness left Yami's eyes and turned back into that incredible cerise once more. Those same eyes that centred on Yugi one last time as Yami's life left him and he vanished into golden sparkles, never to grace the mortal world again.

Then, still stunned into paralysis, they watched as Yugi darted back, shaking uncontrollably at what he had done, the realisation of what had happened striking him so hard, so viciously, he just froze where he had fallen, and cried and cried…

…and cried.

At that moment, it was as if all the teenagers where replaying the entire scene in their heads simultaneously. All around the living room, the occupants felt the sadness bubble up inside them, felt the uncomfortable knot that seemed to fill their chests and sensed the room's atmosphere darken despite the ever-so-light sun rays that still spilled into the house.

It had taken only a few seconds for them all to realise what had happened on the other side of the portal. They understood the Black Magics had finally been sealed away, and they finally noticed Griffin's bloody, mutilated body sprawled across the fire-lit chamber, but none of it registered for a few minutes. All they could think about was Yugi's distressed weeping filling the Soul Room and falling so much deeper in the onlookers, the sound itself it scorched their very souls with his grief.

It was only then did they realise that the dimension was beginning to break down. Without the Black Magic around to sustain it, the carefully woven realm was rapidly decaying, the magics dispelling, being dragged back kicking and screaming back to the White Magics bounds, causing the entire realm to rapidly collapse in on itself.

Then, urgently but silently, Leo, Seto and Yue had stepped closer to Yugi, all unsure, all shocked, and all desperately uncertain about what had fully happened and what was going to happen the moment they passed back into their own world - but there was only one thing they had had to do right then.

Yugi hadn't protested as Leo had kneeled down wordlessly and scooped him into his arms whilst Seto and Yue made absolutely sure they were safely alone. Yugi had suddenly fallen quiet as they had neared. It was like that moment before when he had heard Yami's frightened prayer playing over and over in his own mind - like he had just snapped from the sheer sense of grief of before. It was like Yugi had sensed them there but he hadn't moved or acknowledged them even when Leo easily lifted him up. He had been as silent as the house was now as the four of them had stepped back through the gateway.

It was since that moment, Yugi hadn't said a word, hadn't eaten or slept but the tears had never stopped falling.

And probably just like every other teenager under the roof of the house - he probably couldn't erase the heart-searing image of Yami lying on the cold stone ground, his eyes open and staring straight at him… open, blank and … _dead_…

"I can't believe he's really gone." Sakura whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Tea slipped an arm around her shoulders seeing the tears swell in the younger girl's already red and puffy eyes. "I know, it just doesn't seem real, not to any of us."

"This is really hard, but we can't let this get to us yet," Krysta added, taking a seat on the armchair. "Yugi's going to be hurting a whole lot worse then us, so we just have to be strong for him right now okay, Sakura?"

The girls looked at each other. They had been trying so hard to hang onto that notion since they had watched Yami die in Griffin's realm, but their bloodshot eyes from hours of hiding their tears were enough of a giveaway in themselves. But, for their friend, they were still trying as hard as they could.

"Everything that happened," Ryou whispered, his soft brown eyes spaced out and his hands still visibly shaking at the thoughts. "How could something so devastating happen to someone?"

"How could it happen to _them_?" Sakura said quietly.

"It really is…" Mokuba murmured, but his voice trailed off. He couldn't find the right words, or keep his voice steady enough to voice more then a sentence at a time.

"…heartbreaking." Krysta finished, her voice faltering slightly.

The group looked at each other, forming an inadvertent circle around the living room.

They looked so different from the way that had been two days before. They were so far from the usual bunch of happy, blissful friends that always got into strange scraps, but always managed to get out of it smiling in the end.

They looked like mere shadows compared with the way they remembered each other to be only days ago.

"What we saw…" Joey said finally, quietly. "I can't believe it…"

Dark green eyes looked at him expressionlessly. "He had no choice."

Everyone glanced at Bakura, but no one glared at him, and no one tried to challenge him. It was a strange concept.

They all knew he was right. Bakura usually was when it came to the things that happened to their particular group of friends.

"Yugi killed Yami with the Destiny Sword, to stop the Black magic escaping into the mortal worlds." Sakura said quietly. "He killed the one person he loved more then the world to save us all."

There was silence as they took this in once more.

"He really had no choice." Joey stated softly.

Silence fell again, but more due to the group trying as hard as they could not to digress into tears again and still trying to block the horrifying memory of Yami lying there dead by his own lover's hand…

There were muffled footsteps coming from outside the room, breaking the silence. They gradually got louder, evidently descending the staircase - but not at a gentle pace, not by far.

The footsteps were almost pounding down the stairs.

Instantly knowing something was wrong, Joey was the first to get to the door, dashing clear across the room before the others had even jumped up from their seats.

His heart racing in dread, Joey yanked open the door, letting it fly wide open, crashing against the opposite wall.

"What's -"

His voice cut off almost instantly. Joey blinked startled, his eyes registering nothing more then a flash of white and black striding rapidly past him. Shaking off the surprise, Joey glanced down the corridor at the retreating figure, finally realising it was Seto who had just brushed past him at practically light-speed, his favourite white jacket billowing out behind him.

"Seto?"

Instantly Seto froze. All the urgency he'd held having just raced down the stairs and past his boyfriend without even seeing him there, was gone in a flash.

Once more silence descended.

Joey stared at Seto's back, unsure what to say. Seto had been acting so strangely ever since they'd come back and Joey really didn't want to think about why that was. After all…Seto and Yami used to be together didn't they? Seto had been in love with Yami before, so incredibly in love with him… for a surprisingly long time that spanned over several millennia…

Another knot rose in Joey's chest, uncomfortably weighing on his already tender heart. He didn't know what to feel about it - and he couldn't stop feeling guilty that he was worried about him and Seto when his best friend had just lost his own boyfriend in such a cruel twist of fate.

At that moment, Joey really wished all his friends hadn't crammed so close behind him like that; they were ever pushing him closer to Seto by effect.

After a few seconds, but what felt like a lifetime to Joey, Seto finally took a deep breath, relaxing the tiniest amount and gently, glanced back at Joey.

Joey's heart leapt despite himself. He saw the familiar sorrow and grief of hours still misting those incredible deep blue eyes, but he also saw the love shining through. Love all for him.

That was enough to get Joey back on track of what was going on. Seto and Yami were friends and like the rest of them, he was dealing with that loss in his own way - and it didn't once change his feelings towards Joey. Now, after hours of guilt because of these thoughts, Joey could push himself aside and focus whole-heartedly on his best friend.

Without a word, Seto turned away again and walked into the kitchen.

Missing the significance of the exchange, the rest of the teenagers pressed at Joey's back even more, urging him on, all still completely in the dark as to what just happened between Seto and Joey, and all still wondering why Seto was dashing to the kitchen in the first place.

The magically enlarged kitchen was as normal as it had ever been in this particular house, and just like the living room - it was as silent as a graveyard.

The original occupants of the room didn't even flinch as Joey, Sakura, Mokuba, Tea, Krysta, Ryou and Bakura piled in after Seto.

At the breakfast counter in the middle of the room, Grandpa sighed softly, gazing into his untouched, cold coffee mug that seemed to have more tears in it then coffee itself. He didn't even look up at the teenagers after they entered, he just stayed where he was, sitting on a stool, hunched over the cup of coffee he had yet to drink from four hours ago.

And then there were the last two occupants of the room.

Yue and Leo were standing at the huge windows beside the back door, gazing out into the sunrise-coloured sky just as the others had been doing in the living room, not once looking back at the teenagers either, even after they had noisily burst into the kitchen.

There was something strange about this picture though. Leo and Yue were always together when they were at home, and seeing them clasped in each other's soft embrace was definitely nothing out of the ordinary, but still… something felt wrong. The image just didn't offer the same sense of sweetness that it usually did when Yue and Leo were being cute together.

Seto took a deep breath as he stepped into the room; his eyes focusing intensely on the couple as the other teenagers quietly sidled in behind him.

"Another of the doctors I called just ran away." He said.

If it wasn't such a dire situation, the onlookers may have been surprised that Seto didn't sound at all reproachful that he hadn't even been noticed, let alone his presence acknowledged. He just sounded - gentle. Even that was strange for Seto too.

Across the room, Leo sighed, closing his eyes momentarily, grateful to feel Yue's arms tighten slightly around his waist and the warm sunlight on his skin. He opened his eyes knowing Yue was already looking up at him, and instantly reading that knowing glint in his eyes that things still had to get worse.

Because the others hadn't been able to see past their own grief and sorrow to see exactly what had happened just yet - and why.

It wasn't going to be a good conversation.

After a moment, the couple turned around to the other teenagers, loosening their grip on each other, but staying in constant contact.

Half expecting them to be former messes of themselves just as they all were, the onlookers were presently surprised to find the two eldest of the group of the teenagers looking only slightly worse for wear, but still harbouring the silent grief that was plaguing them all.

"We know," Leo told him softly.

"We heard the screaming." Yue said.

Leo cast vivid azure blue eyes onto Seto's darker ones. "Yugi doesn't want to be healed; he rejected me just as he rejected the doctors."

Seto shook his head anxiously. "But he's bleeding all over his bed. He has numerous cuts and bruises, his arm is practically hanging off him and he's got a huge chuck torn out of his neck-"

Seto cut himself off, remembering just how Yugi had gotten that injury.

The silence stretched onward uncomfortably for a moment.

"He still doesn't want to be healed." Yue told him. "No one can force him, whether he's powerful or not."

There was no denying what had just flooded all the teenagers' mind once more.

True, they had only witnessed the very last happenings of what went on in Griffin's realm due to Yugi's spell shielding the gateway's entrance as well as the ability to hear and see into the dimension, but they all knew what had happened before that too.

They knew about Yami's attempt to kill himself, they knew how Griffin had overwhelmed him with Black Magic and ebbed away all his soul to create a demon. They also knew Yami had killed Griffin - and then he had finally turned on Yugi before Yugi had killed him.

And the only reason they all knew was because Yugi had given them the knowledge himself.

Even if Yugi hadn't said a word since the dimension had collapsed and gateway had closed behind them, he had still done one last thing before hiding away in his bedroom to die in the sorrow and all alone.

What he had done was show his friends exactly what had happened in Griffin's Realm.

The moment Leo had gently laid him down on the sofa, Yugi had looked up at them for the first time, ignoring every ache and every pain that plagued him as he did so.

His friends weren't going to forget that look of absolute distress at what he had done for a very long time.

Tears were flooding silently down his cheeks, his eyes were puffy and bloodshot as if he had been weeping for years on end, and he was trembling so much from the onslaught of his own grief-induced chaotic mind. Yugi couldn't speak, let alone string a sentence together; his very thoughts were as far away from coherent as possible.

So instead he showed them. He held out a trembling hand, his eyes changing to pure white and his palm emitting a tiny pulse of his remaining power - and he showed his friends the memory of what happened in the confines of their own minds.

Everyone knew what happened and why, because Yugi had shown them in every minute detail that he had seen them.

After that, Yugi hadn't said another word, hadn't even stayed to face his friends. Grief-stricken he had just ran out of the room and up to his bedroom to drown in his own tears.

"He's still the protector of the White Magics," Leo said, softly, remembering how Yugi's irises flashed pure white as he gave his memory to them for that spilt-second, and again the moment he had tried to heal Yugi's injuries, only to be blocked from doing so. "He can reject anything he wants; nothing can even come close to challenging him like this."

"Will he be alright?"

Startled, the teenagers collectively glanced at the breakfast counter, searching for the quiet, grave voice that sounded so dry and devoid of anything else but deep-felt heartache.

After hours of staring onto his cup, Grandpa finally looked up stiffly, his swollen amethyst eyes sweeping the teenagers. He saw the looks on their faces and felt his own sorrow bubble up inside.

He had been the one to insist that they call a doctor for Yugi when he had rejected Leo's power to help him. It had seemed like a good idea at the time even if he was close to hysteria. But now he was beginning to realise doctors couldn't possibly do _anything _to help his grandson right now.

"He won't be… will he?" He said, effectively answering his own question.

No one had any answers for him. This was just as soul-destroying for him as it was for Yugi. After all, he had only just found out what had been going on in the last few days, and now he had lost one adopted grandson who he loved just as much as his real one, and Yugi just seemed like he was all too willing to die now too…

"Grandpa…" Sakura murmured.

"They loved each other so much," Grandpa whispered, not even aware of the others in the room anymore. "They were so perfect, so in love…" He shook his head sadly. "How could this happen? How could they let this happen…?"

They all knew it was true. Yami and Yugi had been so happy, so perfect, so wonderful together, and their lives were just meant to be entwined… god knew what would happen to Yugi now, especially knowing Yami would never be by his side again. All for the soul reason that Yugi had stabbed a sword into his own lover's heart…

After all it was technically…

…_murder_.

Yugi had murdered the one person in the world he loved the most. Even if he did it to save everyone he knew - he still did it, and nothing could ever change that.

"It isn't over yet." Yue said softly.

Startled, the group looked up at him.

"Yugi's still magically charged." Yue explained. "The magics need to be returned for the balance to be kept forever."

"That's what I wanted to know," Seto said, looking at the couple determinedly. "I don't know why it took me so long to realise it but - how come Yugi still has the White Magic? Didn't it all seal away with the Black?"

Leo shook his head. "No, only half of it did, that's the problem. If Yugi doesn't give the magic back, the Black Magic would eventually break out again. The Yin-Yang is still imbalanced."

Joey frowned. "How did only half of it seal away?"

"The Destiny Sword," Bakura intervened abruptly. "Yugi stabbed Yami with it. The Sword is the embodiment of half the White Magics - it is one secret of the power unlocked. You unlock the Sword; you unlock the magic it entails. When Yugi stabbed Yami, he willingly gave up half his power in the form of the Destiny Sword to reseal the Black Magics that had taken him over."

Everyone was staring at Bakura again. It was strange how he was able to work some incredibly difficult things out so quickly and yet the way he acted and his way of life generally led anyone into thinking otherwise about his intelligence almost instantly.

He glanced back at the others, returning their stares with a half-hearted glare.

"I'm not just a pretty face you know."

It would have been very a Bakura-esque thing to say if he had been grinning manically as he said it. But right now, it just sounded forced.

"What happens if Yugi doesn't return the other half of the White Magics?" Sakura asked anxiously.

"Then the Black will eventually find a way to break free and we'll have to do all of this all over again." Leo stated. "Only, we won't have Yugi to defend us anymore. He was the only one who the power was granted to and only he had the ability to use and understand it. Plus he never actually told us where he went to get it in the first place."

The same struggled silence fell again. It was like every time they tried to find a ray of hope that this entire incident was over, it just chose to throw back another damaging revelation with yet another bomb ready to go off inside it.

Joey felt Seto's hand clasp his own as he moved closer to his lover, sensing that he too needed comfort even if Seto had so far been trying his best to hide it all for the sake of everyone else present.

"How's Yugi doing?" Yue asked glancing at Seto.

"Is there any change?" Grandpa asked hopefully.

Seto shook his head. "No, he's still the same, he won't eat, won't sleep, won't say a word. And he's still refusing any help to clear all his injuries." He thought back to what Yugi's room had been like when he'd cautiously led the last doctor into it. "His wounds have stopped bleeding so badly though, but they must hurt like hell."

"He doesn't feel it." Leo said suddenly.

Nine sets of eyes centred on him abruptly, all taken aback and only just realising Leo wasn't even looking at them anymore - he was gazing out the window again, his blue eyes distant and forlorn.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked softly, almost afraid to know the answer.

Leo glanced back at them, his expression unchanging. "He doesn't feel it. He only feels the sorrow, its much more potent then physical pain ever could be."

Something changed in his voice, his aura, something that instantly made Yue look up at him in anxiety.

"Lover?" He called softly.

Leo still stared at nothing, his voice oddly softer then before. "You lose someone you love…it changes you…and you don't feel for so very … long…"

Yue met Leo's gaze realising what he meant; after all they'd both lost people they had loved so dearly before and so had gone through this already. Yue had lost Clow Reed five hundred years ago and Leo had lost his mother when he was just seven and Krysta had been much too young to remember.

Leo looked at the onlookers still watching them. "This is different though,"

Joey nodded in understanding. "Different because Yami died because…" He forced his throat not to clench up. "Because Yugi killed him."

"No."

Gasps echoed around the kitchen, all attention once more centred on Seto.

"We all saw it," He stated. "Griffin was the one that stole Yami's life."

"Griffin killed Yami." Leo explained, seeing the confused glances. "He flooded the Black Magic into Yami and eradicated his soul leaving his living body to be taken over; it was _Griffin _who killed Yami."

The conviction in his voice was almost uncanny. He was so sure, so determined, but still…

"Yugi didn't kill him, even if he believes he did," Leo said, his voice softening. "Yugi killed Yami because of what he had become, not because of who he was. Yugi thinks he killed Yami because he killed Yami's body and made it so Yami could never return to it. And just like when anything else dies, if the body's gone, the soul can't stay in our world without a vessel."

He shook his head sadly.

"And then Yugi gave up half his power, the power he could have used to piece back Yami's soul in time and kept him from entering the afterlife. But he chose to give up his power and give up Yami's only body to return to the mortal world. He gave up his only chance at finding and bringing back his lover ever again. He did it to save us."

Understanding swept through the teenagers.

Leo's gaze hardened murderously. "_Griffin _killed Yami."

"So Yami's soul gone because of that bastard and his body's gone because Yugi had to kill the demon before it killed all of us." Seto stated, the anger blazing lethally in his voice at the words. "But Yugi still blames himself anyway because Yami can never return like he did before."

Leo nodded. "Yes. Yami is in the afterlife now. There is no return this time."

"Shouldn't we tell him that?" Tea asked desperately. "It's all Griffin's fault! Yugi didn't kill him! We have to tell him it wasn't his fault Yami died!"

"He already knows."

Knowing silence fell, all realising why what was happening, _was _happening.

It was a devastating situation. Yugi was still super-charged with the ultimate magical power, but he was willing to die in misery over the death of Yami, knowing full well that unlike before, no amount of magic could possibly bring him back because Yugi had killed the body that Ashizu had created for Yami three years ago.

It has been one spell that could only be cast once and once the body was killed, there was no recreating another. It was a new life for Yami - just one new life. The spell had disintegrated the moment Yami and Bakura's bodies had been summoned. Their bodies were still mortal, and they could be healed and repaired as any mortal form could, but could also die just the same. The only crux was that Yami's soul was tied to the body Ashizu created just as Bakura's was too. When the body died, the spell shattered, never to be summoned again and so Yami's soul was taken into the afterlife, never being able to re-enter the mortal world again unless fate herself dictated it.

Yugi wasn't going to see Yami again until the day he died.

All in all, it was just a normal death despite being caused by magic. Yami was gone and Yugi wasn't going to see him again for as long as he lived.

"He wants to die." Joey whispered, the realisation striking him harshly. "That's why he won't let Leo heal him, why he won't let the doctors near him to treat the wounds - Yugi wants to die to be with Yami."

Yue nodded. "That is what we interpreted at least."

The silence continued for a moment.

"Um," Sakura murmured. "T-there is something I'd like to know."

The group looked at her, their hearts softening under her blush having gained so much attention.

"What is it, Sakura?" Tea asked gently.

"Um, what we all saw - through the gateway I mean…" Sakura bit her lip, unsure how to voice it. "Why…why did Yami stop?"

Joey frowned in confusion. "Stop what?"

"Why did he stop…biting Yugi?"

Instantly they knew what she was talking about - the moment that Yami had halted in the middle of killing Yugi. And they all agreed with the confusion just the same.

Automatically they looked at Leo and Yue.

Leo raised an eyebrow, genuinely interestedly. "You just assume that we know?"

"You usually do." Krysta said helpfully. "You guys are like walking encyclopaedias on magic."

For the first time in hours, the friends gave into a small, but genuine smile.

"Lucky we do know then isn't it sis?" Leo answered. He took a deep breath, his smile already gone and replaced with the sorrow of before. "Yami stopped because of what Yugi said while he was biting him."

"That he forgave him?" Seto asked, remembering the Yugi's words.

Leo nodded. "Forgiveness is part of the White Magic. It was the sincerity of the words themselves that poisoned the Black Magic in Yami and made him stop. Sincere forgiveness is a helix, it is an act of innocence but it can be seen as a balance too - like if you do something bad, I forgive you and everything's square again. Only this was slightly different."

"It didn't understand." Bakura said bluntly. "Black Magic didn't understand the concept of being forgiven for something so terrible, it couldn't possibly understand. If it did, then the White Magic would have infected it, and that's impossible too."

"So it just caused pain derived from misunderstanding of the opposite hand of the Divine Scales." Leo finished. "It's basically a paradox that led to the demon being unable to kill Yugi because of that one act of innocent forgiveness."

The teenagers nodded in understanding, all discreetly noticing as Ryou and Bakura drew closer together, having understood that Bakura's own words had struck him just as deeply as the others considering his own past actions.

"There's something else," Leo said softly.

The group looked at him, but he was gazing out the window again, holding Yue's hand as if he desperately needed some sort of physical contact just to stay sane.

"What is it?" Grandpa asked, instantly knowing it was something important.

"I've figured it out."

Leo's voice was so quiet, laced with a sad dread that automatically made the others step closer, knowing this wasn't going to be something good, but they needed to know anyway.

"The way Griffin was all that time ago, and the way he was now…" Leo began. "I understand it now. I know why it all happened."

"Why?" Seto asked, he too anxious, but still needing to know why everything had happened only to lead to the death of his ex-boyfriend.

Leo's eyes were sparkling strangely in the sunlight, giving away the telltale shimmer of magics awakened deep inside him, offering knowledge and guidance to use that knowledge without overwhelming him.

"Death can't take life. Death can't kill to cause death, it doesn't work that way. The mortal worlds don't work that way." Leo said softly. "Only life can take life - that's what the Black Magic needed."

He finally looked back at the others.

"It needed Yami's life to break free into our world again."

Joey stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Wait," Sakura said suddenly. "But the Black Magic had Griffin's life didn't it? Why didn't it just use his to break out?"

Leo shook his head. "Griffin has been dead for five thousand years, he's still dead. And now he's in the afterlife where he should have been all that time ago."

Sakura's green eyes widened, thinking back to the conversation just before the story of Yami and Griffin had come out.

"_He told me he only just managed to create another body. He pretty much told me everything while he was trying to kill me. Griffin only just managed to gain another body to re-enter the mortal world. He's technically still dead, but now he's unlocked power to overcome that little problem."_

"_So he is dead?" _

"_He's dead alright. And Griffin's older then he looks, he died aged nineteen. He's a lot older then Yami is, or was too." _

Griffin was already dead. He died aged nineteen, five thousand years before.

"He committed suicide and offered his desecrated soul to the Black Magic." Leo told them. "The only reason the power accepted him and let him wield their power was because they could foresee how he was going to use them."

"They knew what was going to happen?" Krysta asked, stunned.

Leo shook his head. "No, I don't think they knew entirely, but they knew what Griffin wanted, and they could see a way to gain what they wanted by manipulating him."

"So Griffin wanted Yami and the power wanted a life right? A proper life, not the magical half-life that Griffin forged for himself." Tea stated.

"Right," Leo agreed. He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of his own tangled thoughts that had crowded into his mind for over three hours straight. "Think of our world and all the other worlds as a big playing field, and White and Black are the opponents. The only problem is that when they're sealed away in their eternal battle, they're so busy fighting each other, they don't have any players on the field to carry out their wishes. Once Black broke away from the White with Griffin's aid, the Black still couldn't fully break free and invade the worlds and cause carnage because it needed a player on the field. It needed a life to take over to get into our worlds again because above all else, we prize life, and that's the root to the balance of our world - and the only way to get one of those and start causing carnage is to get itself a living person, eradicate the soul it inhabits and fuse it with its own power -"

"And that would create a demon," Seto finished. "Like what happened to Yami."

Leo nodded. "The White Magic was granted to Yugi because he was the only one who could possibly unlock it in time to stop the other - Yugi was the player for the White Magic - he was fused with White Magic, but unlike the Black, the White would only work if it embraced his soul, not taken it over and he became the opposite to a demon. Yugi became an angel."

There were gasps.

"He's a…" Grandpa murmured, wide-eyed.

"He's an angel?" Sakura practically shouted.

"Yes," Leo answered.

Yue's gaze softened on the stunned teenagers. "You always said there was something about Yugi, didn't you? There's something _different _about him, different but…good."

"Well that squirt is annoying _good _sometimes." Bakura said reproachfully.

"Wow…" Joey murmured running a hand through his constantly messy hair. "An angel…"

"So," Krysta said, trying to piece it all together. "Back then when Griffin killed himself, the Black Magic accepted him, because they knew he would be a means to get a life, and they knew that Yami would be freed again and Griffin will steal him back?"

Her brother nodded. "Yami being released and allowed to take another life had already been pre-ordained, so the power knew that was going to happen and used Griffin to make it work to their advantage. They used his obsession to get to Yami's life that the power needed to break out."

Seto regarded Leo silently, once more not giving away any of the inner torment he was feeling inside. "That's why Yugi had to kill Yami, he was a demon now and he would have allowed the evil half of the magics to enter our world like the last time it did."

"And it would be carnage across worlds just like before." Leo finished. "Yugi couldn't let the demon go knowing there was nothing left in his body but discord and evil there, even if Yami wasn't in there anymore."

His voice quietened once more.

"Only life can take life. And even if there was still the tiniest of hope that Yugi could get Yami's body back and return his soul to it, he _chose _not to. Yugi took Yami's only chance away by killing the body Yami needed to live."

Grief-stricken silence fell again, even denser then ever before.

"It was the Black Magic all along." Joey whispered. "It orchestrated everything that happened to gain a life-force. And gave Yugi no choice but to kill the one he loved more then anything…"

"He did it to save us." Krysta said softly. "All of us."

The silence was deafening, and was fast becoming a permanent resident. There just wasn't much to say, nothing else to talk about then trying to figure out why what happened - _happened_. And now they knew, all they had to do was comfort Yugi and cope with the death of a friend themselves.

How were they supposed to deal with that? How could they possibly comfort Yugi when they didn't know how to take Yami's loss themselves?

Tea's eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at the others, but she didn't let them fall. "What happens now?"

The silence stretched on as the groups glanced away, staring more into space then at anything in particular. Now they all knew the truth and the sheer magnitude of what had happened, there was nothing holding back the grief that had threatened to engulf them completely ever since they had returned home.

No one answered Tea's question - they didn't know how to.

All they knew was that Yami was gone, and Yugi was still upstairs, super-charged, and slowly and excruciatingly withering away to death too.

"You know what makes this worse?" Joey said softly, his honeyed eyes shimmering sadly in the sunlight.

He looked at his friends around the room. They all looked exhausted, and more stressed out then belief, but still, he knew this was important enough to be said, just to convey exactly how devastating the situation truly was in Yugi's eyes at that very moment.

"It's their anniversary today."

* * *

Yugi stared at the sky out the window. The brightening blueness of the early morning scorched his eyes, but he stared anyway. He didn't even see the colour anymore. 

He felt numb.

No, he didn't feel anything.

All he could do was stare.

It was a beautiful morning. It was just another beautiful morning like the thousands that had happened before it…yet it wasn't just like every other morning that Yugi could remember. On any other beautiful morning like this was different in his recent memory. On any other perfect morning that he could recall, the sunlight would've spilled gracefully into the bedroom, would've bathed the bed in that welcomingly warm glow that meant that the new day had arrived and was ready to show him once again just how great the world could be. That was how he remembered a perfect beautiful morning.

Yugi fell ever deeper into misery.

He had only ever thought about mornings like this every day for one whole month - the month that he'd been with Yami.

He used to treasure those moments, those thirty mornings that he had woken up in this very bed with Yami. Those once-a-day moments when he would awaken with feel the wonderfully warm sunrays falling over his face, and then he'd open his eyes to find Yami right there beside him, fast asleep and ready to be wrestled awake too just so they could get to school vaguely on time.

Yugi turned his head to one side, tearing his gaze from the scathingly bright sky to the bed he was lying in.

There was no Yami lying there beside him. No Yami lying gracefully asleep under the sheets, lost in such deep dreams, it always took a team effort to get him awake enough to get him out of his beloved bed.

Everything had changed. Yami wasn't there as Yugi looked, and Yugi knew he wasn't going to be there ever again. It struck him again and again that Yugi was never going to wake up on a perfect morning like this and open his eyes to see Yami beside him ever again. He'd realised this hours ago - but the immensity of the truth of it all hit him at that very moment; the sheer, unadulterated, non-sugar-coated truth of this tiny detail in the grand scope of his life with Yami.

Yami was never going to be in this bed with him again - and it was all his own fault. He killed the demon that had possessed Yami's body, he'd murdered the body that Yami needed to live and he had given up half of his power to save the world; power that he could have used to find Yami's soul and bring him back to where he belonged - here in bed with Yugi.

Yugi stared.

It was so different from the way it was before. Everything had changed so drastically in the space of a few hours from his own personal perfect world, to his own personal hell.

Lying in this bed in this room used to fill him with happiness knowing what it all meant, but just knowing what it was going to mean now burned Yugi's already shredded soul. It was like the bed just became symbolic somehow. It was the first place they'd been truly together after the acceptance of all their friends, and of course from Seto too as the ex-boyfriend - but even if every single one of their friends had been arguing good-naturedly over them downstairs at the time, even that didn't hamper the goings on of Yami and Yugi's first time together. It had been as close to perfect as things get.

Even the bed sheets themselves had become symbolic - especially the ones Yugi was lying on top of right then.

The bed was covered in the cute white sheets with the sweet little pink daisies embroidered in the corners. Yami had thought they were so very 'Yugi' the first time he'd walked into Yugi's room and seen them there on the bed with Yugi running his fingers over the silken coloured threads of the designs. He had smiled when Yugi had admitted that he liked playing with them and then Yami said daisies were just like him - sweet, friendly and delicate, and so very pretty all the time without even trying to be.

But even the sheets were ruined now, just like all those memories.

The bed sheets were no longer pure white, but now immensely stained with dark, drying blood having spilled from all Yugi's wounds and spread outwards like ominous flares. The tiny daisy in the closest corner to Yugi had completely vanished under the blood.

Yugi raised a hand slightly and lightly ran his fingers over the cotton of the sheets. It was strange.

The bloodstained bed felt so different then he remembered. The sheets felt coarse under his touch, so much more abrasive then he remembered, and much colder too.

Yugi frowned slightly, trying to gather his mind up again to work generally properly.

It was almost like…like the little daisy in the corner that vanished under the blood made the sheets itself change entirely too. It seemed different without the daisy. The whole bed felt different without the daisy.

And yet…

All the memories with these sheets still flooded his mind. Yugi could remember so plainly every memory of these sheets, on this bed, in this room and with…

…Yami.

Yugi closed his eyes.

He could remember lying on the bed in a sea of paper, trying so hard to revise for a math test while Yami was complaining about his Geography teacher. He could remember the many times he had tried and failed to beat Yami in a Duel Monsters game when sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed.

Yugi could also remember the many times he and Yami had made passionate love in this very bed too…in these very sheets…on mornings very much like this one…

Everything felt so wrong. So out of place. Yugi's mind was already playing tricks on him and messing around with his thoughts but still, everything still felt out of place - as if what made his own personal space so special, so complete had been ripped out and left a gaping hole that Yugi couldn't see, but it still managed to effect the room so badly, it felt alien to Yugi himself.

He didn't care, but he understood it just the same.

It was Yami. His room used to be just a place to hide away from the world - there was never anything remotely tender or worth caring about in it until Yami came into his life. Even before they'd gotten together, Yugi never needed to hide in there when Yami was around. Now he treasured the moments he spent with Yami in his bedroom - he had done for the entire three years he had known him.

None of it mattered now - the room just became a daylight hideaway once more.

Yami was gone forever, and with him went all Yugi's will to live.

Yugi opened his eyes and looked at the blood-covered sheets again. It was drying faster now; mostly because he wasn't bleeding as much anymore. Against his will, his body had managed to stem the blood loss from almost all his lacerations; even the flow loss from his torn arm was down to a tiny, offensively-non-life-threatening, trickle. He was creating more blood then was being lost now, so he wasn't on death row anymore.

To Yugi, it seemed like his own body was against him dying.

Yugi blinked, pain shooting through his puffy, scathed and now dehydrated eyes. He moved his head and tried to focus.

He knew what he wanted - he wanted to die - but his body wasn't doing it for him.

He needed another way.

And he knew there was a pair of scissors on his bedside table, lying innocently on a pile of magazine clippings of new belts and buckles designs.

Yugi focused - and his breath caught in his throat.

On the bedside table was a small picture frame. It was of himself and Yami having been taken at the summer equinox festival a week ago.

Yugi stared at it, his heart suddenly thudding harshly. It had been taken in the late afternoon, in the glow of the fiery sunset just beneath the big chestnut tree in the park. He was jumping on Yami's back in the photo, literally half-climbing over his Dark with one arm outstretched in what looked like a mad attempt to catch a bright yellow butterfly that was just flying out of the frame and just out of reach and …. and he was smiling in the picture - no - he was _giggling _in the picture - and so was Yami.

A smile tugged at Yugi as he looked at the picture, but it didn't show.

They had both been giggling their brains out when the photo had been taken because they had both gotten identical rushes on sugar and coffee at the festival.

They'd both been completely lost to the giggles for hours after that episode - which led to a very interesting night of major passion, insane games and general fun that caused damage bills to run into the hundreds, two very tired teenagers by dawn and an extremely grouchy Grandpa for the rest of the week when he realised just how much mess the boys' simultaneous rushes had caused in the light of day.

Yugi bit his lip, somehow dredging up tears from long-capped-out eyes.

Life really had been perfect for them for just one month. Only one month.

It wasn't enough.

It was far from enough.

The silver of the scissors glinted in the morning light.

Ignoring all pain, Yugi raised his good arm and reached out for them without a second thought. As he did so, on the bedside table, the photo beside it began to shimmer with golden sparkles.

Yugi froze, staring at it. He watched as the golden lights flowed out like sprinkles, framing the picture in an almost celestial glisten.

Yugi sat up quickly, startled, and cringing at the flash flood of excruciating pain.

But the golden light didn't falter, because this wasn't just light - it was _magical _light, only…he knew this particular magical light. It was familiar.

It was the same light; the same magic he had felt when he had run away from the house, from his friends after Yami had first been taken, and dashed to the one place where he had been granted the White Magic itself, but…

He didn't get it.

_What was this magic doing here?_

Yugi gazed at the magics as they worked, captivated.

In an instant, the light bust outwards from the photograph, engulfing the entire room. Yugi's vision filled with golden magic, spilling warmly all around him with its incessant beauty and radiating sheer power of the ancient source…

And then, as fast as it had appeared, the magics faded, leaving the room as it was before…but there was one major difference.

Yugi was gone.

And the scissors clattered harmlessly to the floor and under the bed.

* * *

Note – Okay! There you have it the next chapter and possibly the penultimate one (MAYBE! I haven't decided yet) anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it. I know it hasn't moved the story on much, but I honestly had so much trouble writing this chapter since I've, thankfully, never lost a friend before so I had a hell of a lot of background research to get thru. 

Note 2 – Okay before people start complaining, this chapter is meant to sound disjointed and irrelevant in Yugi's POV reflecting the way he's feeling, apparently it's a common effect on people after losing someone close to them so I tried to capture that.

Anyway, I hope you liked it – and don't worry, its almost all over!


	41. The Seal

Note – Hello everyone! Wow I cant believe how long this took to get out, but I promise it is good! Now, this chapter did take a little longer because I've been doing exams and working and all that, so I haven't had enough time, plus this chapter just seemed like it was going on forever!

Oh and special thanx to Tori who helped me write this because I'm all ill and cant think straight for very long! Luv you sweetheart!

Anyway, I really hope you like, but I warn you now, get some tissues ready!

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter - The Seal

A sharp cry of pain startled the group out of their gloom.

"That's Yugi's voice!" Joey exclaimed, already dashing out the door.

Instantly, they were on their feet, whirling around to the direction the cry had elicited from, all ready for the ultimate worst thing they could imagine happening after hours of experience.

All inexplicably alarmed just by the recognition of Yugi's voice, the group abandoned reason and readiness and rushed after Joey without a second thought - and then promptly crashed into him two steps into the hallway.

"Joey what are you -?" Chorused a mesh of startled voices.

And then they halted at the exact same time.

For a very good reason.

Silence descended.

They had all been dashing for the stairs in a desperate attempt to get to Yugi, apparently still crying his heart out locked in his bedroom and now sounding like something terrible was happening to him - so they really didn't expect to see him through the still-open doorway to the living room, much less falling to his knees in agony and in the midst of a shower of golden magical sparkles.

But what shocked them the most was the fact that…Yugi wasn't alone.

The group stopped and stared in complete disbelief - they really couldn't do anything else.

Golden magic had filled the entire living room in a spectacular display, showering all through the room and now spilling out towards the still-staring teenagers through the open door and into the hallway, swirling like waves of insubstantial water.

As the golden magics cleared, Yugi dropped to his knees, unable to stem yet another pained cry that tore from this throat. His whole body screamed at him in protest at merely moving, much less standing up and then hitting the floor surprisingly hard.

Yugi took a deep breath, pushing away his agony to force open his eyes and make his heart beat slow down enough to work out what had happened.

Disoriented, he tried to take in what had happened in the past few seconds, but with his body screaming at him and his mind pounding intolerably, the only thing he could remember was lying on his bed reaching for the scissors…and then golden magic surrounding him.

Ignoring the flood of pain that issued as he moved, Yugi grasped his right arm again with his left hand, stemming the blood that poured from the sword-slash wound that had torn open again.

Almost immediately feeling better as the blood-flowing out of him restricted, Yugi's mind finally cleared enough to work again. He'd been in his bedroom, he'd locked himself in there, he knew that much - but then what?

_The magics…_

Yugi blinked slowly as he tilted his head up, almost childishly turning his blurry gaze up to the ceiling only to vaguely realise that his bedroom was right above the living room.

And then he felt something else.

Stares.

Only not a normal stare - and not from his friends, at least not _only _from his friends…

Slowly, Yugi's gaze dropped from the ceiling and settled just before him. And there he looked up at -

- a beautiful young woman.

Everything froze.

And slowly, the magics dissipated, leaving the stunned friends and family in the doorway all staring at the incredibly beautiful lady standing just before Yugi in the middle of the living room.

Only this woman wasn't a normal woman.

She was definitely not that.

And she was currently looking down at Yugi with eyes that knew so much more then any other could ever know.

Yugi blinked, forsaking his shock and pain to look at her fully, the sluggishness of his mind making him look up at her with a sense of curiosity more in kin with a child then a teenager infused with the strongest magics in existence.

She was tall and slender, but young and had looks so incredibly beautiful it actually stunned Yugi to the core. Her hair was as dark as night, falling to her waist in a classic straight cut with a dark fringe falling just above her large dark eyes, adorned with black kohl in an almond-shape, extenuating the natural contours perfectly.

The woman was beautiful without question - but not in the modern sense. More…the _ancient _sense.

She was dressed in a simple white dress, embroidered with golden thread into intricate designs and her hands, arms and bare feet were adorned with an assortment of golden cuffs and bangles, embedded with the rarest jewels, along with a jewel-encrusted gold collar that fell gracefully over her shoulders, but this wasn't all; and it definitely was not the most definitive feature of her.

Yugi stared.

It was her crown - no, not a crown, a head piece.

It was a golden tiara that settled lightly over her hair, but was embellished with a golden disc, framed with the curved horns of a cow.

It was the sun disc in the arms of the sacred horns.

Yugi's heart skipped a beat, a gasp escaping him as he accidentally stumbled backwards in sudden, glaring realisation of just who this young woman was.

Before him the woman smiled warmly at his reaction, instant knowing filling those stylised eyes as to why. She knew he recognised her, he'd seen her picture so many times from his grandfather's books and artefacts - it was just a question of whether or not he believed his very eyes. Or was well enough to realise this was not a dream either.

Still outside in the hallway, the rest of the group still stared, unable to fathom what was going on, but still being shocked nonetheless.

And then, to everyone's amazement - she bowed gracefully in reverence to Yugi.

"It is an honour," The woman said, her voice soft and pure as music. "To be in the presence of such greatness."

Yugi's breath halted altogether at the action, inexplicably stunned into silence as well as shocked into disbelief. Completely forgetting just how injured he was, Yugi gazed up at the woman, his amethyst eyes wide in shock and admiration.

"A-are you…?" Yugi murmured, already knowing the answer, but feeling compelled to for it to be confirmed anyway. He shook his head incredulously. "It can't be…"

The woman just smiled once more before turning slightly to glance towards the doorway and with a graceful wave, beckoned the other teenagers into the room.

And finally, as the group gathered by the far wall to Yugi's right, the woman turned and gazed back at Yugi again, well aware that he knew who she was before she had said a word.

"Yes, Yugi, my name is Hathor." The woman began kindly. "I am the Egyptian goddess of love and beauty."

Stunned gasps circled the room, along with general disbelief. But none of them couldn't dispute it; the appearance, the outfit - it all fit, but still…it just had to be said.

"You're kidding." Joey blurted out.

Hathor smiled kindly as Sakura quickly shushed the older teenager, and Seto pointedly elbowed him in the ribs.

"What? I was just making sure I heard right." Joey said defensively. He gave his most winning smile to the goddess. "Um, sorry - er - Pretty Lady."

This time quiet groans of despair filled the room.

"It's really her…" Ryou murmured. "Oh my…"

His voice trailed off, suddenly realising the significance of what he would have said should he had finished the sentence.

"Wow," Bakura added beside him, genuinely impressed. "What a babe."

That earned him an elbow in the ribs as well, this time from Ryou.

"She is beautiful though." Krysta murmured in admiration.

"Sure is." Tea and Sakura agreed.

"Are you really Goddess Hathor?" Leo asked more out of curiosity then anything else.

"It's her alright." Grandpa whispered in awe. "The headdress is a total giveaway - the sun-disc and the cow horns, it's a perfect match."

The goddess gracefully nodded, kindness still shining through her eyes at their reactions. "The elder one is quite correct. I am indeed who you think I am. But I am also known by many other names, Hathor is but one."

Stunned quiet fell again.

But Seto leaned closer to Leo with a completely useless question nonetheless. "Why aren't you more shocked?"

"I am shocked."

"This is you shocked?"

"Its better then me livid, trust me on that."

The goddess's gaze cast over the teenagers as they tried with more failure then success to take in the sheer magnitude of the most recent revelation and couldn't help but smile catching the hushed argument between Leo and Seto. They actually were some of her personal favourite matches with their lovers.

And yet, all the while…the one she had come to see had not said another word.

The goddess cast her gaze away from the onlookers once more and focused on the being before her.

Yugi hadn't heard what the others had been saying, he didn't need to. He knew who this woman was, and he also knew there was only one reason why the goddess would suddenly appear to him now. There was never any doubt - just a pounding headache that refused to go away.

Desolation filled Yugi's heart again, spilling out through broken eyes the sheer grief and distress he had cast upon an already tortured soul as he looked up at her, once more sensing her gaze on him.

"You know why I am here, don't you Yugi?" Hathor asked

Yugi just looked at her for a long moment, having to use all his remaining strength just to focus on the goddess before him. He blinked, even though he had expected it, the kindness in her expression still stunted him.

Finally, Yugi nodded. "Yes, I know." He whispered.

Yugi sensed her presence draw closer as he tried to shakily stand up to face her, and felt her aura intensify in anxiety as he did so.

"Please Yugi," Hathor said lightly raising her hands in a gesture to halt. "You will worsen your injuries even more. Please do not stand, there is no need."

Feeling weaker, Yugi stopped in his efforts and stayed on his knees unable to do anything more.

His vision was fading in and out even more so now, and his grip of reality was failing ever more as the seconds ticked by. It took him another few moments to realise that the thick red liquid suddenly oozing over the wooden floor was actually his own blood once more slipping out of him.

Wilfully, he grasped his useless right arm with his left hand again, pressing the palm to the torn-open wound to stem the bleeding as he'd done before. But even that small amount of effort weakened him considerably more - to the point where even the goddess was worried about him.

Yugi forced the dizziness away and looked up at her, suddenly finding her closer to him and looking so much more caring over him.

Detachedly, Yugi stared at her, his voice nothing more then a whisper. "Why are you here…when you already know my answer, Hathor?"

Before him, the goddess straightened up, and regarded Yugi solemnly, never losing the compassion in her eyes at just what this young teenager had gone through this night.

"We are losing the fight Yugi." She told him gravely. "I have come on behalf of the ruler gods, Osiris and Isis, to plead for the return of the remaining White Magics. Half alone cannot contain the Blackness and the gods cannot keep the power at bay for much longer."

Hathor looked into dilated amethyst eyes so devoid of anything that could have ever been called a positive emotion.

"I know your answer Yugi." The goddess said gently. She clasped her hands to her heart sincerely. "But I beseech you, please reconsider."

Yugi closed his eyes.

The seriousness in Hathor's voice was unprecedented. He could sense her so clearly - she was afraid. She was a goddess, yet she was afraid; afraid of the power of the opposite hand.

She had good reason.

The blackness had the ability to destroy so much more then the mere physical worlds.

Yugi could feel the magics within him intensify as he summoned the half of the White Magics inside him, asking to show him what the sealed half of the power was doing. As he did so, the childish nature of the White Magic swirled through his very soul invoking itself so powerfully through him without even leaving so much as a pinch of pain or discomfort in its wake. The power moved like water through his spirit, innocent yet deep but it never overwhelmed him, never fought to control him, but embraced him and moulded itself so it could be understood by it's young host.

And Yugi understood.

He understood the goddess's words and the meaning behind them. All of them. Her pleas, her fear, everything she had risked to part from the war the gods had banded together to fight, all to plead with the wielder of the only power that can stop the Black Magics.

He could feel the power of the other half of the White Magics, the sealed half struggling to cope with the blackness overwhelming them, trying so hard to keep the evil power at bay and out of the physical worlds where it can gain the demons it needed and conquer the universe entirely. And he could feel the golden magics of the gods weaving over and over to fight the Black Magics back, endlessly forming a prison to capture them that was being broken and repaired over and over again in an inevitable crescendo.

And Yugi _knew_, he knew it wouldn't last forever.

The gods weren't immortal, they just had a much longer lifespan - and their magics were definitely no match for the all overfull Black Magic. Just like every other living thing - they feared for their lives and the lives of others they had come to love.

The Destiny Sword wasn't enough to hold back the blackness in battle and the power of the gods were definitely no match to make up the absence of the other half of the White Magics either.

It was like sending a solider with a pea-shooter in the path of a tank.

"The seal is failing." Yugi whispered.

"Yes, the Destiny Sword alone is not enough and the celestial power of the gods cannot hold the seal intact for much longer." The goddess replied.

Surprise circled the room as the goddess bowed her head, her hands still clasped to her heart in all sincerity and reverence to Yugi.

"I have come to plead with you to relinquish the other half of the White Magics Yugi. To return the power it so that the Black Magics can be sealed back to whenst they came."

Finally Yugi opened his eyes – and even Hathor gasped at the sheer power that suddenly inundated the teenager's broken soul, and the indescribable sorrow that reigned even stronger then the power itself.

"I cannot relinquish the power." Yugi whispered, looking up at her. Tears filled those amethyst eyes in a sight that even a goddess's heart would break. "There is no point now. It's over."

In his mind the memory of the last few hours plagued him yet again, and in his chest, his heart shattered a little further into oblivion, bleeding out ever more.

Yugi's aura faltered, only not in its purity - in its intensity, the grief he felt tainted his aura like a stain, dimming the glow of innocence so harshly it seemed like a crime in itself to subdue something so pure and good. The sensation itself was so deep, the very atmosphere of the room darkened at the sheer intensity of Yugi's emotions.

"Oh Yugi…" Tea murmured

Hathor shook her head, casting tender dark eyes over the teenager. Despite the pain, she could feel the love in his heart, now shattered so excruciatingly, but the fact didn't change that it was definitely there.

Yugi was bleeding.

Only there was no blood. Not from these wounds.

And Hathor understood.

"You wish to die. Die to be with the one you love."

There was a strangled silence. Everyone knew this was true - they'd all just come to that decision only a few minutes before. It just seemed to make it ever truer the more people said it, and now with a goddess saying it…

The truth of it struck home so much harsher then before.

Yugi took a deep breath, feeling more and more out of it the longer he stayed there, bleeding all over the floor. Nevertheless, he stared at the goddess, watching with idle interest as the goddess tilted her head to one side, sensing what he was thinking.

Hathor already knew, but she voiced it anyway.

"You will be breaking your vow if you go through with this Yugi." The goddess said softly. "You were granted the all-powerful White Magic to quell the Black with the promise that you will return it when the time came for the Yin-Yang to be cast once more. Do you remember the conditions of your promise?"

Yugi looked away, tears stinging his eyes. "Yes, I know what I vowed." His voice darkened ominously. "And so do you."

"But you do not intend to keep to your promise."

It was statement, not a question.

Yugi gave her a flash of a glare. "They didn't keep to it either."

Yugi's head pounded painfully. It was getting harder and harder to think. He took yet another deep breath, feeling the magics working within him, trying its best to fix him and give him comfort, offering solace much like the way a little child would comfort an injured kitten.

He smiled gently. The White Magic was meant to be all-powerful, yet its innocent nature easily masked the true force it held, showing him a sweet naivety that was never cynical, never jaded, despite the vastness of the strength within its grasp.

But aside from this, he could sense something else from the magics within him - longing. Longing to be reunited with its other half. The White Magics functioned as diverse as any magic, but it was only ever truly happy when all together in a host that unconditionally understood what it stood for and why it was still thriving. The White Magics wanted to be unified, be together as much as family or friends wanted to stay together - even… lovers.

Yugi's smile was lost without a trace.

The depression returned.

"I…I don't care anymore." He murmured.

The words felt alien as they left his lips; any lie would.

"That's not true, Yugi." Hathor said ethereally. "I know it isn't."

Yugi shook his head as he stared at her, sensing her determination and for the life of him, not understanding where it was all coming from.

"How can you be so sure?"

In the middle of the living room, Hathor sighed deeply, as if she were lying on the grass gazing up at the sky and feeling so fulfilled, all she could do was sigh in wonder that the world.

But her eyes were whole-heartedly cast on Yugi.

"I am very sure, Yugi." The goddess replied. "Or you would not have become what you are now." She smiled kindly. "And because I have been watching you all of your life, so have most of the gods."

There were more gasps, but Yugi didn't hear them, he was more shocked then all of the onlookers combined.

Hathor's smile stayed ever warm. "You are different Yugi." She told him softly. "Different in the sense that you are indeed human, yet you have tendencies and a way of thinking that is more in kin with a god, and even beyond us."

Her voice softened even further, becoming almost ethereal.

"It is no surprise to me that you harnessed the White Magic so easily. Easier then any other angel before you. The power only ever chooses a host that it likes, and wields a purity and kindness that it likens itself to - much like a child. And it does so to the point where it is willing to forge a bond and allow you to use their power as long as your heart is pure and your intentions noble."

Yugi blinked at the goddess's shimmering dark eyes cast away from his own to the group still watching the scene in a mixture of shock, awe, and unparalleled respect.

"Ask your friends, Yugi." Hathor invited smiling. "They all believe it too. There is something about you that makes you different. Different but…good."

Yugi's breath caught as he saw the belief in all his friends' eyes, still unaware that this too had already been established in the kitchen only minutes before the goddess had arrived and Yugi transported through the floor from his bedroom to the living room. Those exact same words had been said before, and now whole-heartedly justified by no less then a goddess.

He saw the conviction in his friends' eyes, it was unmistakable.

"It's true," Tea said softly. "All of it."

"There's something about you," Ryou whispered.

"There always has been." Joey finished with a smile. "Different but good. Very good."

"Annoyingly good." Bakura added, just to be part of the conversation.

Yugi found the goddess looking kindly back as he glanced at her again, his heart repairing only slightly from the words, but it felt nice despite the pain nonetheless. Like a single sapling thriving in the midst of a burned rainforest.

"Do you see?" Hathor asked. "You are much more pure then any god, that is why the Whiteness accepted you, trusted you with itself and made you into an angel to save your friends - angels are beings much higher then we are."

Yugi blinked, startled. "They are?"

"Yes," She replied. "Most believe the gods command the angels, but it is the angels that guide the gods."

"Really?" Sakura asked curiously, unable to stop herself.

"Angels are _higher _then gods?" Seto repeated incredulously.

"Is that true?" Leo asked, just as curious.

"Yes," Hathor answered. "The gods that serve the greater good answer to the angels when they are destined to come into being - they are the beings that are infused with the purity of the White Magics, we are merely privileged with the golden celestial magics of the gods that are derived from that power. Beings of such purity cannot be commanded by gods who still bicker amongst themselves." She looked at Yugi. "You are the perfection of innocence and goodness and we are not. You can see all that there is through the eyes of a child - eyes untainted and unbiased to the world and all other influences. It is only the angels that truly see the goodness in everything and strive to help it grow."

Yugi fell quiet, taking all of this in. it made sense, it really did. After all, for what seemed like forever, people had believed that angels were perfect didn't they? But there are thousands of myths of gods and goddesses that fought and argued over large things and trivial things that really didn't matter, yet they bickered nonetheless.

If the angels really were lower then the gods, how could that possibly make sense? How could near-perfect beings be commanded by the gods that were only _slightly _more perfect then humans themselves?

"However, aside from all of that." Hathor said, breaking into Yugi's thoughts and catching his attention. "As the goddess of love - I know you still love them Yugi. You love them with all your heart, no matter how many shards it has shattered into and bled away in the pain you have suffered." She glanced over at the onlookers briefly. "Your love for them still ties together the pieces of your broken heart. Despite your pain, I know you would never unleash the wrath of the Black Magic upon your family, no amount of pain could ever sway your heart."

Yugi crumbled. Tears stung his eyes, threatening to pour out in floods all over again. It was true. It was all true. He'd said he didn't care, he'd refused to give the magics back, he'd been all set to send the universe to hell…

…and it had all been a lie.

He'd lost so much in this battle; he wanted to die from the pain.

But he didn't want to take his family with him, or the world, any world, or the gods either.

Grief tightened its grip on his soul, harshly clawing at his heart strings with razor blades.

Even if he had lost everything that ever made him want to live, he didn't want to cause hurt to anyone else.

It was the crux of an angel.

Yugi wanted to die to be happy with Yami, but with his death the power within him will stay forever tied to his body and never seal back and the Black Magic will break out and destroy everything in its path. Then again, if he gave the power back, the worlds will be saved, but his wounds would never heal and he'd kill himself anyway to be with Yami - but that will lead to his family being hurt too. Anything he did would still end up hurting someone.

It wasn't fair.

"The power needs to be returned, Yugi." Hathor said gently. "You know the fate of us all should you keep the White half of the Divine Scales and the gods fail in their efforts."

Once more Yugi felt the pining of the magics within him to be reunited with its other half; he could feel it longing to be together like old friends, or siblings, needing to have the companionship that the power as a whole held.

It was strange.

Through the depths of Yugi's fluffing over mind, he remembered something. It was something that Leo had said before. Magics or nature, they're not manmade or a side effect of something else, they're an essence that was as natural as the elements.

_But magic…_

Magic had an awareness of itself. They could pick and choose who to like and who to dislike, they could bond with whoever they accepted and then they would willingly allow their host to wield their power. But of the seven types of magics, the more powerful ones aren't just aware of themselves and their impact - they had minds of their own. From Leo's magics, who thrived in their host mostly because they liked him so much, to Sakura's Star Cards that all had personalities as individual as their magical abilities, even if they were made of the lesser powerful celestial magics of the Stars.

The White Magic had a mind of its own - and it wanted to be whole.

And then it struck Yugi…

…so did everything else in the world.

But the world was so far away from ever being truly whole, not while it kept on falling ever deeper into darkness and despair.

The magics flowed through Yugi's mind like water.

He could see it all.

Everything there is, everything there was, everything there could be - the power was showing it to him. Suddenly, he didn't feel like himself, at least not only like himself. He could feel everything around him, everything that had ever come to pass and everything that could foretell the future. He could see it all in such clarity and omniscience, as if he was aware of the _entire _world.

And it just made him even more grief-stricken then before.

"What difference with it make?" Yugi whispered, shaking his head in defeat at the goddess. "This world has already fallen so far… I can see it all now."

Yugi's left eye blazed pure white.

All around him, shock filled the air, all staring, all stunned and all in such awe at such a display of the purest form and strongest power ever - and all suddenly feeling incredibly desolate at Yugi's next words.

"In all my memories," Yugi said softly, staring at the goddess almost dreamlike. "In all memories ever created, I can see it all through the gaze of the White Magics…the whole world for what it had been, for what it is…and for what it will become…"

Yugi shook his head, one eye still blazing white, and the other darkening as it filled with sorrow of what he understood.

"We have fallen so far out of the grace we were conceived in, we will destroy ourselves anyway - so why should I save us? We will destroy ourselves."

Before him Hathor gently shook her head. "That has yet to be ordained Yugi."

The other stared at her incredulously. "How can you say that?" He asked. "After your long lifetime, you have seen the evils our race has spawned and spread, despite the goodness of the source in which we descend. How can we possibly change our ways?"

The way Yugi was speaking, it was weird. It was like it wasn't him saying those things, yet in some other freakish way, it was. The words sounded like something Yugi would say, but that had an edge of sorrow, childlike fear and supremacy that the onlookers could only assume was the magics actually speaking through him, but being tainted by the pain that Yugi felt. As a human-turned-angel, it was like Yugi was looking through the eyes of billions of people at the same time and seeing the world for the first time as it really was - and then to add to the confusion, he was also biased because he was a human that lived in this world too and was currently as grief-stricken as humans could get.

It was a devastating mix of the lot.

In Yugi's heart he understood the past deeds of the world and way in which they were going for the future - but that was it, he couldn't understand the reason why he had to fight for a world that was already turning to evil, when he stood for innocence.

In spite of the words, Hathor smiled once more. "Destiny can change Yugi, it has done so before. She may seem certain at times - but even Destiny and Fate can change their minds."

Yugi blinked. "Really?"

"Yes." The goddess relied serenely. "They have changed even for you."

Yugi's gaze followed her as Hathor kneeled down to him until they were level.

"Destiny can be altered," Hathor said kindly. She cupped Yugi's cheek in her palm, smiling as the teenager leaning into her touch. "True, it is rare, but it does happen. After all - even the gods can be wrong about things too."

Yugi regarded her for a moment, his left eye changing back to the amethyst of before - but not until the power revealed to him one last thing.

"I command you, don't I?" Yugi asked.

"Yes." Hathor replied sincerely.

"Then why are you keeping things from me?"

Hathor sighed contentedly. "I was waiting for the right moment."

"Like when I should tell you that I don't know how to give the power back?"

"Precisely."

Hathor stood up again, never taking her eyes off the young angel.

"Do you agree that the unsealed half of the all-powerful White Magics needs to be returned?" She asked.

Yugi's heart inexplicably sped up and his mind became an instant blur.

He'd just spent hours in his bedroom crying his heart out over his lost love, wishing and pleading with the universe to let him die and take everyone with him - but now he wasn't so sure.

Everything that had been said made sense. Before, he'd known what the world was like - he'd lived in it for fifteen years and new more then enough of the evils it could create, spread and enhance - it was hard to miss and so far from the intentions of the White Magic, it seemed like the world was always destined to fall into the clutches of the blackness…but now…

Destiny could change.

That was a new one, but apparently it had happened several times before. So just maybe, _maybe_, the world wasn't as doomed to hell as he thought before, so…if Yugi refused the goddess and let the Black magic escape, he really would be sealing the fate for his world, and all other worlds, including the plane of the gods.

It was that 'maybe' that made him rethink himself.

And finally he came to a decision.

And all it took was one glance around the room.

He really couldn't condemn the whole world to the hellish play of the Black Magics, even if half the world really did deserve it. The point was, the other half _didn't_, and Yugi just couldn't do it to them anymore then he could condemn any of his family to the same fate despite his pain, his anger or his heartbreak.

The power needed to be returned - there was always time afterward to kill himself.

Yugi took a deep breath and looked up at Hathor. "I agree."

Hathor nodded solemnly. "In that case, I offer you a trade."

Yugi blinked, definitely not expecting that answer. "A-a trade?"

"Yes." The goddess visibly softened looking at the teenager, seeming more like a mother then a goddess more and more. "The conditions of your original vow to gain the power of the White Magics was never fulfilled - so I offer a trade in its place."

Yugi frowned, his mind beginning to fluff over slightly again just when he was starting to feel better. "What do you mean?"

"You promised to the universe that you would return the White Magics when the time came to seal the Divine Scales back into the eternal battle, however, you agreed only to return them once all your family were safe." Hathor's eyes glistened sympathetically. "Including Yami."

Yugi's heart jolted excruciatingly at the mention. He knew that promise all to well, it was the only reason he'd had the courage and ability to face Griffin in the first place and get Yami back.

But it didn't work.

Love and purity of innocence meant nothing to the blackness and Yami had been mercilessly stolen away from him forever more.

But then…

There was something in Hathor's eyes, something that made Yugi hold back his grief of this lover's death just to figure out just what she was thinking behind that beautiful exterior.

"Your vow was severed by another's hand and Yami could not be saved, so I offer you a trade instead." Hathor went on. "I will trade you the sealed half of the White Magics for you to use one last time and in return you will seal the power away in the eternal battle for all eternity once more."

Yugi considered this.

And failed completely.

"I don't understand - you're giving me _back _the sealed half of the power?" Yugi reiterated. "You want to give me back the Destiny Sword? Why?"

Yugi's heart fluttered. Hathor's lovingly sweet smile did that to anyone subjected to it.

"You can reunite the White Magics within your blessed soul and use the power one last time. White and Black are always sealed together, only half of one side is not enough. You can reunite the White Magic and use it before you return it… use it to get back the one thing you crave the most."

In almost childlike fascination, Yugi watched through glassy, dilated eyes as the goddess suddenly turned to her left, raising a hand in a graceful wave, gesturing across the empty side of the living room for all to stare.

As she did so the celestial golden magics of the gods appeared all around her, radiating outwards from her form and throughout the room in a spectacular display of golden sparkles. They looked just like thousands of tiny orbs gliding on a gentle breeze.

And through the weaving magics - they all finally saw it.

But it didn't register to Yugi until he heard the startled gasps and cries from his friends behind him - and their inexplicable surge forwards.

Then he saw it for himself.

Yugi's heart stopped dead in his chest; an abrupt change to the pounding of before. All words failed him, his breath hitched and his mind was suddenly a complete blank after what seemed like a lifetime of crowding thoughts.

He was literally stunned where he kneeled on the floor.

"The White Magic is the greatest power ever, Yugi." Hathor told him softly. "It has unlimited power and is ruled by the purity that is the innocence. It's ability extends far further then just the Destiny Sword, and you briefly were exposed to such knowledge during your battle with Griffin, but you had to seal it away before you could learn to use it. Now, as your previous promise has been broken, I therefore will show you now just what it can do in light of this trade."

Hathor glanced back at Yugi, once more smiling that soft smile that made everything seem like it was going to be alright.

"The White Magic is the ultimate force against evil, Yugi, so when evil steals a life in the name of evil and not destiny, an angel infused with the White Magics has the ability to step in - and change what has been wrongly committed."

The goddess looked at him, seeing the grief that just seemed so alien in the eyes of such a pure being, but she smiled also noting the wonder take over those crystalline eyes as well. She watched those eyes drift away from the far said of the living room, and settle back onto her, as broken and as innocent as Yugi had become.

And Hathor nodded knowingly.

"White Magic has the power of life over death, Yugi." Hathor told him softly.

"You can have him back."

Yugi almost collapsed at the words. His heart was suddenly racing again, threatening to break out completely, all just for what his eyes showed him.

The living room was open-plan; adjoin the living space with the dining room on the far side. And joining those two rooms was an arch acting as the connector. But it definitely wasn't the arch that Yugi and everyone else were staring at in such unprecedented shock.

It was what had appeared with the golden magics of the goddess.

Or more precisely - _who_.

Yugi was on the verge of a heart-attack, he really was.

Tears filled his eyes.

Yami was standing right there across the room.

He was just standing there, leaning back against the arch that connected the two rooms, leisurely leaning back against it side-on to Yugi, his head was bowed slightly, with one shoe propped up against the wall behind him, his hands in his pockets and his blond locks falling gently over closed eyes.

And Yami was dressed in the very same school uniform Yugi had seen him in a thousand times before.

The pain was forgotten as Yugi pressed his hands to mouth, quietening a soft whimper that escaped him in the confusing mix of bliss and despair.

God, he looked so prefect, Yugi just wanted to break down all over again.

Hathor tenderly laid a hand on Yugi's shoulder as the angel tried to get up, struggling to stand and surge towards the one he loved more then the world.

"It is not time yet, Yugi." Hathor told him gently, holding him back. "He is only an image."

Yugi's heart sank and his bliss died away back to misery in record time. But one tiny flicker of hope shone through. Bordering desperation, Yugi looked up at the goddess only to find her looking at him with all the kindness she was renowned for.

"You really loved him, didn't you?" She said admiringly.

Yugi stared at her detachedly. "More then anything." He whispered.

The goddess smiled. "You can have him back."

There were anxious cries around him as Yugi stumbled forward towards her, tears falling freely from ever distraught eyes.

"Tell me…" Yugi pleaded in a whisper. "Please…"

"You unlocked the knowledge when you gained the full understanding of the power, Yugi, but you sealed it away again with the Destiny Sword. Now I am offering you the chance to use it once more. When Griffin offered Yami's body and life to the blackness, the evil power saturated his form, and he became a demon." Hathor told him. "Every atom of his being was converted to the will of the Black Magic, and so when you destroyed the demon, you killed the body and it vanished and returned to the seal with the rest of the power."

Yugi's heart fell a little further in the black hole in his chest. "I destroyed him."

"But not forever."

The goddess sighed contentedly; just in bliss to feel such love that one young person could hold for another. "Since Yami's life was never meant to fall into evil's hands, the trade I am offering you is to give you back the full power of the White Magic and to use the knowledge and power to recreate your lover's body - and bring him back from the afterlife."

Stunned, Yugi slowly shook his head as he stared. "But I didn't understand it all…"

Light dawned.

"You did once Yugi." Hathor said noticing his reaction. "You had the White Magics in full for that brief moment - and once unlocked, the knowledge is there for you to use. The power has accepted you, and it trusts you with itself. You can use it to create another body and bring back his soul."

Yugi took a deep breath, taking all of this in as much as his still-fuzzy mind would allow him. It all sounded so incredible, yet he knew she was right. For that short time when he'd understood the very basics to the complexities of the power and it had seared pure white through his eyes, he'd understood it all; the power really had accepted him, but even now that power and knowledge that he needed was sealed back with the Destiny Sword half of the magics, the point was - _he could have Yami back_.

"I can give you back you the knowledge Yugi," Hathor told him. "But you must be able to take it for yourself. The gods can hold back the Black Magic briefly, but I can only hand you the Destiny Sword - only you can choose to take it and with it bind your promise to return it in full to the eternal battle. This is the trade."

She glanced back over at the image of Yami across the room.

"In return for regaining the other half of the White Magic and using it to bring back your lover, you must promise to reseal the White Magic fully back from whenst it came." She cast beautiful, dark but sincere eyes onto his amethyst ones. "Do you agree?"

Yugi closed his eyes, as his heart silenced and his final tears fell. He was well aware that all breathing had stopped in the room - including his own.

And there was only one answer he could possibly give.

"I agree."

Hathor smiled. "Very well."

There was a flash of golden magics; celestial magics of the gods so beautiful it scathed Yugi's eyes, but he couldn't bear to look away.

He blinked in awe and finally focused as the magics dissipated.

Hathor was directly before him again - only this time, she was kneeling down on one knee.

Something deep inside Yugi stirred, something that felt like majesty, yet still felt sweet and innocent, it was odd to place such sensations together, and even more difficult to even describe just how they felt together.

Yugi's heart felt oddly calmer then it had been before, and now he was suddenly standing over the goddess, without even recalling getting up. But that didn't seem to matter right now.

Yugi gazed at the goddess, and watched with childlike fascination as she held up her hands, displaying the new object that glided in mid-air just over her palms, turning slowly in a mixed halo of golden and White Magics.

It was the beautifully crafted Destiny Sword.

"Call the Destiny Sword back to your hand Yugi." Hathor instructed. "I can only show you the path - it is you who must walk it. With your touch the knowledge will return and your promise bound."

With all his love flooding his heart, Yugi reached out…and grasped the Sword's hilt.

What happened next was sensational to say the least.

Pure whiteness filled the room in the place of the gold, gently yet powerfully taking over the entire room and all the occupants, flaring out in spectacularly glistening ripples of White Magic, until finally…

…the magics cleared…

…and yet more gasps filled the air. Even from Hathor herself.

Just like only once before, the crystalline amethyst colour was suddenly gone form Yugi's eyes, and they were once more the shining white of an Angel.

Yugi could feel the power surging through his veins, feel it surging through his soul, weaving around his heart; it was almost like the White Magics was using his very form as a playground, and it was just blissfully… _playing_.

The Destiny Sword was no longer in Yugi's hands, it has turned back into raw power and now…

Yugi felt his heart leap despite absolutely everything.

…he could feel the magics' happiness. Happiness to be reunited, to be _together _again.

Yugi blinked, sensing and seeing the magics still swirling all around him excitedly, and he realised it wasn't just the power he was feeling rushing through him - it was the knowledge too. The knowledge of everything ebbed through him like a great tide, almost tenderly showing him everything it could possibly do until -

- it got to the one part that could fulfil his promise, and ease his broken heart.

Save for the musically resounding magics that surged al around him, there was no other sound in the room as the power worked. There was nothing to say, nothing to do, but watch in complete, utter, unadulterated …_awe_.

Yugi closed his eyes.

And the magics worked.

* * *

The group on onlookers automatically grasped hold of each other as the magics blazed. They knew they didn't need to, or have to, because there was no reason too. As odd as it was, the sheer power that suddenly inundated the entire house in such rare beauty wasn't the least bit intimidating, despite it's strength; it was just…gentle. 

They held onto each other because they wanted to.

They felt safe in the presence of the all-powerful White Magic, but still, they wanted to know they were still surrounded by the ones they loved.

Together, they watched the magics work.

Only it really wasn't work at all.

It was more like…_play_.

The magics were playing.

The White Magic swirled as they flared out of Yugi, dancing gracefully around and through him, celebrating in their own way just for being together again and back with the host they had whole-heartedly chosen to be their protector. The power continuously rippled out streams of pure white so bright it scathed the eyes, yet was still so perfect, so beautiful, no one could bear to look away.

The purity of the power filled every soul, magically-blessed or not, it didn't matter; the point was they could all feel it as clear as they could feel their own emotions. And what they felt wasn't just the power Yugi held in full - it was the actual sensations of the magic itself.

The group could sense the White Magic's chastity, its childlike nature, its sheer power in its raw form…

But they could also sense its happiness.

Its happiness to be reunited - to be together again.

This wasn't work.

This was play.

And now that they were together again in the host they adored…

…the White Magic could finally repay their protector for all he had done by granting him the knowledge to wield them - in the only way to mend his broken heart…

* * *

Yugi opened his eyes. 

He found himself staring.

And he couldn't stop.

Yugi could feel the knowledge asserting itself in his mind, understanding flooding through him like a gentle tide. He knew everything once more; all that had been, all that could be. He knew _everything_.

His eyes blazed pure white.

And he gazed in childlike fascination at Yami's image.

The magnitude of magic that surged through him was indescribable. He could feel it flaring off of him like ripples dancing across a pond from the breeze.

The intensity was incredible, but Yugi didn't notice.

He had eyes for only one.

Yugi's heart stopped as silence fell, even the musical sounds of the White Magics quietening as their task finished.

Opposite him, across the room, bathed in the light of the rising sun…

…Yami solidified.

It was done.

* * *

The very first thing that Yami was aware of was the gentle heat of the sunlight falling over him. It was like a soft hand sweetly bidding him to wake and enjoy the first few moments of the new day. It didn't even seem to bother him that he happened to be standing up rather then lying in his warm cosy bed. 

It was nice.

The second thing Yami was aware of was the lack of noise. Now that was slightly more strange. After all, this was the house that never truly slept; there was always some drama, hilarity or catastrophe happening, be it the middle of the day or the middle of the night. Some flurry of noise was always happening. Right now, all he could hear was…music.

Soft, sweet music. Like the type of music you would get in a child's music box, only more…ethereally enchanting.

So this was odd. And lack of noise wasn't usually a problem for a house that was surrounded by his particular circle of friends.

Then again, as odd as this seemed, Yami still felt calm and content. Just like he felt after a long lie in on a lazy Sunday and then realised he really didn't have to get up at all.

Yami took a deep, cleansing breath.

And opened his eyes.

* * *

Yugi's breath stopped along with his heart. 

He gazed detachedly.

And he watched as he gazed.

He watched as Yami's image solidified before his eyes, his new mortal body created of White Magic becoming as substantial as his own. Yami really was standing there against the arch of the wall, with one leg propped against the wall his head bowed and eyes closed…

Then Yugi saw the golden sparkles that shimmered around his Dark, and recognised the unmistakable trait of his soul returning…

…and then he watched Yami come back to life.

Across the room, Yami slowly opened his eyes, gently raised his head, turned, focused…and then he smiled.

Yami did so every time he saw his Hikari.

And Yugi crumbled.

Yami blinked in sudden surprise as his Light surged towards him, the happiness in his eyes instantly changing to shock and confusion as Yugi stumbled towards him - only then did he realise just how badly hurt, exhausted and stressed out Yugi actually was.

And that his Hikari's eyes were pure white instead of the amethyst he'd come to love so much.

"Yami…" Yugi breathed, latching onto his lover's waist.

Still unsure, Yami let Yugi cuddle him tightly, sensing the other's aura filling with a weird mix of jubilation, fear, bliss and longing. More confused then ever, Yami glanced up looking for answers from everyone else he could sense in the room.

The questions died on his lips.

Hathor smiled and bowed in reverence to him briefly, then she cast loving dark eyes onto Yugi.

"Fulfil your promise Yugi." She said ethereally.

Yugi didn't move, only tightening his grip on Yami.

He didn't have to.

Gasps filled the air as a swirling vortex appeared above Yami and Yugi; a milky galaxy of whiteness that had suddenly replaced the ceiling and was now taking in the magics that were streaming straight out of Yugi and into the pretty abyss.

It was Hathor. She had opened the vortex back to the gods and was channelling the White Magic back to where it belonged as Yugi relinquished it up to be sealed back.

Stunned into paralysis, Yami only just managed to snap back into reality to catch Yugi as he passed out in his arms from the impossible mix of physical injury, fatigue and stress.

Carefully holding his lover in his embrace, Yami glanced back up just as the very last of the White Magics vanished through the swirling galaxy, taking with it all its innocent nature, and just before it dissipated completely, offered the brief flicker of the image of the Yin-Yang symbol.

Two opposite sides, locked in their eternal battle. Never mixing, never tainted by the other. They only ever fought, neither ever won.

The two sides of the Divine Scales were well and truly sealed back one more.

Then the seal vanished with the White Magic, leaving nothing more then a sweet sensation of gratitude from the power itself to all the occupants present, but mostly so to Yugi himself.

And then, with one last bow to all, Hathor disappeared in a shower of golden sparkles as well.

Silence fell.

His mind crowding with confused questions, Yami glanced down at Yugi unconscious in his arms, and then cast his crimson eyes at the group still clustered together across the room - looking even more shocked and awed then Yami himself.

"Um," Yami started uncertainly. "Did I miss something?"

* * *

Note – Well there it is! Yami's back! Yay! I got so many pleas and death threats not to end the story with Yami being dead and Yugi killing himself, so I figured this was a nicer way to do it and I really hoped you enjoyed it. 

Note 2 – Yes, yes, before all the arguing starts, I did simplify the version of Hathor that I used for the sole reason that not everyone does Egyptology like me so I made her a little more generic so that everyone can understand who she is, what she stands for and why she's so caring over Yugi.

Note 3 – Just so you know all that stuff about density and the fate of the world was all ideas and concepts from my best friend Tori, so he deserves most of the credit for writing that part in and we both came up with the idea that Angels were higher beings then the Gods – I mean think about it, it makes sense doesn't it?

Anyway, I'm gonna get writing on the last chapter of Fatal Attraction and then it's the epilogue! I cant belie the fic's almost at an end! Thanx for sticking by me! The next update will be soon I promise!

Luv Nefertari


	42. Truths

Note – hello everyone! Wow its been a long time hasn't it? now anyway, back to business, I've got a whole new chapter here for you but unlike what I said before, this isn't the last chapter as I thought it would be,

To be honest, I thought out the ending of the story but when it came to writing it it just seemed to go on forever! So I decided to cut this section off and post it since it took me so long to write anyway and there's only so much time I can leave you guys hanging right?

So enjoy and I promise I will keep at this story even if it kills me – this fic is just too damn good to be abandoned now!

ENJOY!

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Chapter 42 - Truths

"_So…I really did die then?" _

"_Uh huh. As soon as you turned into a demon, you were dead."_

"_You know, you're making this into a habit."_

"_Well, it's not like I go and get myself killed on purpose."_

"_You could've fooled us, Pharaoh; anyone would think you like being dead."_

"_I have to say, you're taking this surprisingly well."_

The words drifted like mist over Yugi. They sounded nice though. Soft and gentle. No trace of anxiety, no urgency, just…serenity.

It sounded very nice.

Peaceful.

It was an odd concept after the night he'd had. And what they were actually talking about seemed quite odd too.

Yugi's breathing deepened as the memories of the night before ebbed back to him, and gradually the mist began to clear. For a moment he was sad to see it go. Then he realised it hadn't at all - it had just clarified itself into normal reality. The serenity was lessening, but it wasn't gone completely.

And the voices were becoming more substantial then mere whispers.

"This all just sounds so incredible. All that power…Yugi harnessed it all? The greatest, most powerful force _ever_?"

"Yep, then he used it to bring you back and give you a whole new body too. Hathor told him there was a loophole in the actions of the Black Magic, and since it killed you before you were fated to die, the White was allowed to bring you back."

Yugi heard the words and sensed the calmness around him again, this time recognising the voices, but only so far that he knew them…he just couldn't seem to pinpoint who was speaking quite yet. That didn't seem too much of a problem at the moment.

"Then Yugi used the White Magic to bring me back before he sealed it all back into the Yin-Yang, right? That's why his eyes were glowing white like that?"

"Yeah that was pretty freaky wasn't it?"

"All that power…how cool would that be? If I had that I could rule the world!"

"That's not really what it exists for. _Please _try and understand. And I doubt it'll let you use it for that purpose anyway."

"I could rule the _whole world_!"

"Actually, as nice the White Magic seemed to be, she did get us into a world of trouble."

"Well, on the bright side, it wasn't our fault this time - and Leo didn't have to bail us out this time either."

"Yeah but the majority of painful things still managed to happen to me didn't it? I got attacked in the middle of the night and almost killed from four stabs, one of my favourite swords was destroyed, I got my arm slashed to ribbons _then _I got shot in the chest by my own boyfriend - you know this is so unfair how all the painful things always seem to happen to me."

"Well Griffin did hate you a lot."

"Plus you always take the hit if something threatens one of us, just like a good big brother."

"And you are the eldest so you have to be the most hurt one - well aside from Yugi in this case."

"You do know that Yue is older then me, right?"

"You just had to bring me into this didn't you?"

"You _know _that I mean."

"I guess I'm more careful then you are. And I am only five hundred and twenty-seven, plus I look eternally twenty-one, so you can't pull that on me."

"Sorry babe."

"Well on the positive side, you didn't die, or get _extremely _hurt like Yugi did. You guys were lucky; we all were considering what could have happened."

"I guess so. I'm definitely not complaining about that. He's gotta be the strongest little guy I know."

"And Yugi's the littlest guy we all know."

"I'm just glad you're both alive and well again. You've even got a whole new body out of it."

"So this is a completely new body then?"

"Yep, brand new."

"What happened to my old one? Did you have to leave it behind in Griffin's dimension?"

"Um…well…no. After you _turned_, Yugi kinda had to - destroy you."

"_What_?"

"Not you personally, just the thing that nicked your body."

"It turned you into a demon and your body was saturated with Black Magic so when Yugi killed it, it sealed away with the rest of the power. Your new body is the one Yugi created out of White Magic."

"But you're still mortal, so don't do anything reckless - like dying again. There're no fringe benefits or hidden powers or anything, it's just a normal mortal body. So you have to take care of yourself."

"Alright. Sounds like my old body needed destroying anyway."

"Well after the demon started killing people, it seemed like a good idea that Yugi do what he did."

There was a quiet moment. Then came an even quieter voice.

"Although…it was hard going for a while there. Yugi actually through he'd killed you and lost you forever. This house had never felt so cold and…he almost died of a broken heart…"

Slowly Yugi opened his eyes.

Opposite him, he watched Yami sit back on the thick rug, leaning back against the sofa as he took all of this in.

For the longest time Yugi didn't do anything, but stare at his Dark. Mostly because he was trying to work out whether this was a dream or reality, or some sick nightmare that was trying to hurt him even more.

So Yugi just stayed where he was, only vaguely realising he was lying on the sofa with all his friends seated in a vague circle on the rug before the fireplace of the huge living room.

"I can't believe what happened." Yami whispered, unaware of the gaze on him. He shook his head in disbelief. "How could I just turn like that? Become so…_evil_. I killed Griffin and then…Yugi…"

"It wasn't you Yami." Leo told him, sitting opposite to him with Yue in his embrace. "You died the moment you dropped the dagger you were holding and the Black Magic took you over. It was that demon that used your body, not you. That thing killed Griffin and then turned on Yugi."

"It really wasn't your fault Yami." Tea agreed. "If anyone should be blamed it's Griffin. He started all of this and he finally got what was coming to him."

"It was just ironic that the demon that killed him had your face." Seto added. "Especially after your past with him."

"I'd say it was poetic justice." Ryou remarked. "He deserved his gruesome death."

"Creepy as it was, he really did." Mokuba added. "It's only fitting the magic that made him so evil killed him off too."

"Yep," Bakura added. "Evil bastards have no place in this world."

A few odd, yet silently agreeing looks flew his way, but no one challenged his statement. They all knew he was right - they just didn't want to admit it.

"You didn't do anything wrong Yami." Krysta told him reassuringly.

Yami thought about this for a moment, but still gazed into space worriedly. Then he slowly shook his head.

"No," He said quietly. "I did do something wrong - I didn't tell Yugi what was going on between us. I didn't tell him I was as attracted to Griffin even if he was forcing me into it. I wanted him and I didn't tell Yugi when he could have saved me so easily…you said it yourself; Yugi loved me so he was protecting me even if he didn't know it. I made him doubt me and then Griffin took over. Even if Griffin made it all happen, I didn't stop it at all…"

Feeling ever more wretched with himself, Yami glanced over at his friends before settling on his sleeping Hikari.

"I caused all this to happen too, and I put Yugi through so much… he didn't deserve it…"

The former pharaoh's voice trailed off. Mostly because he'd finally realised Yugi's amethyst eyes were open and fixated solely on him.

Instantly sitting up, Yami quickly moved to Yugi's side, kneeling down beside the sofa as the other still stared impassively. Gently he raised a hand and lightly caressed Yugi's cheek, so glad to see all the injuries of before gone without a trace and his eyes back to their normal rare colour of amethyst jewels.

"Yugi?" Yami started anxiously. "Are you - whoa!"

Yami found himself on his back, and he didn't remember how he got there. He blinked finding Yugi on top of him, currently crushing him in his arms. For a moment, Yami stayed where he was, trying to fathom just how Yugi had gotten on top of him without ever seeing the younger teenager pass through the air between them. Finally shaking off his surprise, Yami braced his hands behind him and sat up a little more comfortably - only then did he smile softly realising just what Yugi was doing.

Yugi was cuddling him. His arms were wrapped around Yami's body, holding onto him as tightly as he could and burying his face in his lover's chest; just wanting to be close to him.

The gasps that had issued before turned to smiles of relief as they recognised the old Yugi unmistakably, and the sheer cuteness of the scene as Yami gently slipped his arms around the other and held him tightly too.

It was only after a moment that Yami realised that Yugi was shaking. Really shaking

"Yugi?" Yami called softly. He reluctantly pulled back so he could see the other. "Are you alright?"

The Light didn't move from his lover's arms.

"I don't want to be dreaming." Yugi whispered, his voice worryingly broken.

His heart suddenly pounding, Yami gently parted their embrace and looked at his beautiful little Hikari. His soul tore excruciatingly seeing the tears that streamed down at the other's cheeks from frightened, vulnerable eyes that were silently torn for what to do, all from just not knowing whether this was real or imaginary.

Yami smiled softly.

"You're not dreaming Yugi."

Something flickered deep within in those exquisite amethyst eyes, something that Yami couldn't place, but he knew in his heart that it was good sign.

Yugi closed his eyes again and grasped his Dark even tighter, never wanting to let go.

"I'm glad." Yugi whispered.

Yami was aware of the change in auras around him, changing from anxious and uncertain to happy and admiring of the cute scene - but he didn't mirror it, not as much as the others felt it anyway. He could still feel the sorrow in Yugi's aura. His Hikari was truly happy that Yami really was back, but he was also still extremely upset over what had happened before.

Yugi was still trembling in his arms, lesser then before, but shaking nonetheless. Yami could feel the younger teenager's breath stunting in the heated exchanges over his neck, and sense the uneasiness that still plagued his soul.

This may have been a sweet reunion - but it wasn't a happy ending, not yet.

There was a shimmer of azure blue.

"Is he okay?" Tea asked anxiously.

Leo sat back with a relieved smile, his blue eyes sparkling oddly brighter then usual. "He's fine. I've healed all his injuries except the last few bruises - but that's not quite my field."

Yami glanced at him gratefully and nodded in understanding.

It was Yugi's heart that was still bruised, and it needed to be healed.

After a few more sweet moments, Yugi was finally able to take in what had happened and loosen his grip on Yami, but only far enough not to be crushing him. Now seated beside his lover with his Dark's arms securely around him, Yugi was able to once more relive the hours of before.

He stared at red rug, well aware of the gazes settled on him.

"Yugi?" Yami called after an unsure moment.

His Hikari didn't answer; at least not straight away.

The silence stretched on for what seemed like an eternity.

"Do you know what happened Yami?" Yugi asked quietly.

His heart suddenly beating uncomfortably faster, Yami nodded. "Yes I know. Everyone told me what happened after I died."

Silence fell again as Yugi pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them for comfort. Yugi wanted to talk, to say something about it, but he couldn't find the words. It was like the words he needed didn't exist. After all, what could he say? Sorry I killed you? Sorry I wasn't there for you? Sorry I didn't believe you when you tried to tell me what Griffin was doing to you? The words just didn't cut it; didn't seem like enough to express what he wanted to say.

And yet…

Yugi just couldn't dismiss Griffin himself. All he had done, what he had done before…he needed to know…

"Then I'll tell you." Yami said.

Yugi blinked, startled and looked up at his boyfriend.

His Dark smiled softly. "You want to know, and I will tell you Yugi. I'll tell you everything."

Yugi regarded him for a long moment, looking like he was almost afraid to know. And then, he silently nodded.

No one else spoke as Yami began. They listened along with Yugi as Yami told them what had happened a mere two days ago after that normal morning walking to school and that normal morning messing around before school - and then that not so normal morning when he'd felt that aura, the aura that turned out to be Griffin's and saw those striking green eyes over a sea of students.

Yugi closed his eyes briefly as Yami told him about the detention he had spent with Griffin, his heart beginning to race as Yami told him how he'd been instantly infatuated and had snuck out with Griffin and then had gone to murder-ville only to be caught up in the gang war going on there. And Yugi cringed inwardly as his boyfriend told him he and Griffin then had to simulate making out to get out of the war and avoid the riot police… and then how Griffin tried to kiss him outside the school gates…

But then Yugi's heart leapt when Yami told him he ran away before Griffin could try; he had run home back to Yugi because he knew his Light was there waiting for him. He loved the relief that flowed through him every time Yami told him he avoided Griffin's advances each and every time he came onto Yami, be it when they were alone or in a crowded corridor, always thinking of Yugi.

Lust really was nothing compared to love.

Even with the power of the Black Magic influencing him, Yami only ever thought of Yugi each and every time Griffin came onto him and he never ever initiated it himself even if Yami was lusting after him too.

Even the very last time before they had found out who Griffin really was…

"He grabbed me." Yami said quietly. "He made up some lame story and just grabbed me and pushed me against the wall." His crimson eyes glazed over, almost trance-like. "Just like so many times before…he grabbed me and trapped me, and couldn't escape from him…"

Yugi looked up at Yami, suddenly and inexplicably unnerved. His Dark's voice had changed. It was now darker, softer, sounding much more vulnerable and haunted then Yugi nor anyone else had ever heard him before.

It was disturbing to say the least.

"Yami?" Yugi called softly, gently taking the other's hand. "What is it?"

His Dark forcibly snapped back to reality, blinking the trance state from his eyes. "N-nothing."

Silence fell again as the group took all of this in, collectively noting the sudden change in Yami as well and feeling ever more uneasy about it too.

"I'm sorry for what I said Yami." Joey said sincerely, thinking about his harsh words outside the school when Yugi had been running away. "You were trying to tell us he'd forced you into it, we just didn't listen."

"It's okay." Yami replied with a sigh. "It's over now, plus it probably did look so much worse from Yugi's perspective."

Seto shook his head in disbelief. "That bastard held you so tight your wrists were black and blue with bruises, all just to get a bloody kiss." His dark blue eyes steeled angrily at the memory. "Well he definitely got what was coming to him eventually. He got the sickest, most gruesome death imaginable."

Another quiet fell over the group all taking this in. But it still wasn't enough; they _needed _to know…Yugi needed to know…

Because so far, only half the story had been explained.

They knew what had happened _now _because they had all been there, but as for _back then_…

Yugi looked up at Yami, and found his lover's cerise eyes already locked on his own - but they were glassy and unfocussed, as if he was wrestling inside himself with the chaotic mix of the past and the present. His Dark knew what he was going to ask, there was never any doubt. But despite the disturbing glisten of fear in the other's gaze, Yugi still needed to know. He needed to know more then anything.

"Yami," Yugi asked carefully. "What happened between you and Griffin before?"

Yugi watched Yami look way, his eyes gaining a haunted look that he'd never seen in his boyfriend before.

Yugi took a deep breath and confronted his lover. "What happened in Ancient Egypt?"

Yami could feel the stares on him, all equally needing to know as much as Yugi did. After everything that had happened to them, they deserved to know the truth - no matter how much it frightened him to the core.

But still…the fear was still there. No matter how far he buried it, how far he pushed it away; it was still there to that very day…

And there to haunt him every time he looked into a mirror.

Or at his own Hikari.

"You never told Eclipse." Leo said quietly, breaking into his thoughts. The tension that suddenly entered his voice was unmistakable. "Or anyone else. Those weeks Griffin was in the Kingdom, you never told us, never told anyone…what happened between you."

The elder teenager watched Yami carefully as they locked eyes. He could sense the dread rising in the other, dread so deep he'd never felt it from Yami like this before. Most of them didn't even know he was _capable _of such deep fear. Yami had always been strong like that. It was a fear that Yami had buried away so deeply only to suddenly be reawakened with a jolt.

Something…something so terrible it _traumatised _him to even think about it.

"That night…" Leo whispered, his eyes glazing over as Eclipse's memories took over. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to remember across thousands of years. "Something about that night… the night of the raid on the gates…something happened to you, something you never told me or anyone…"

Yami froze.

But Leo couldn't let it drop. For days he'd had Eclipse's memories seeping into his mind, showing him what life had been like back then, why it was overlapping now. Everything he knew about the past wasn't enough to complete the picture, because Yami's side of the story still needed to fill in the remaining blanks before any of them could understand.

It was the holes. Holes in what had happened exactly. Yami had never confided in any of his past friends or family what had happened between him and Griffin back then…what had happened to make Yami fear him so.

"Yami," Seto called sharply.

Yami flinched, startled at the sudden address. He'd been so completely zoning and hadn't even noticed the others talking to him. He also hadn't realised why Seto had called him so sharply.

He glanced down at himself.

He was gripping the end of his navy blue jacket, twisting the fabric to tearing-point as if it was an outlet to siphon off a tiny amount of the dreaded despair that seemed to be growing and spreading ever more inside him like a disease.

Yami was beginning to lose control, but he didn't know it.

His heart was thudding uncomfortably under the stares from all around him. He knew Griffin was dead. He also knew he was more then safe where he was right then, surrounded by several powerful magical people - and a few more who can definitely kick ass when needed - in a house protected by dozens of magical spells. And he knew they were all his friends, they all cared about him, but he also knew they were searching, searching or answers he'd rather forget ever happened…

"Yami please," Yugi said anxiously.

The Dark side sensed Yugi's flash of confusion as he found himself by the windows, now far away from where he had been sitting with Yugi in his arms. Yami didn't even remember passing through the pair that separated the two places let alone actually moving.

Now the former pharaoh was standing at the huge windows with his back to his friends, fighting to control the rising fear within him.

"I…I can't." Yami whispered, forcing his trembling voice to work. "I don't - I don't want to remember."

He stared at his hands, aware of the anxious eyes on him. He was gripping the window sill so tightly his knuckles turned white under the influence.

They couldn't understand, he knew they couldn't. He had just been a child then, it'll just seem so trivial to them now…they wouldn't understand…

Something slipped around his waist.

"You need to let us try."

Startled, though he didn't know why he should be, Yami glanced down into beautiful amethyst eyes; eyes he had come to adore so much and relish seeing every day of his life.

"Please Yami," Yugi said tenderly. "He's gone now, nothing bad will happen I promise. I…I just need to know, we all do."

Yami bit his lip, calming down significantly just feeling his Light's arms around him. In his head the memories rose up again, flashing like broken up nightmares through his mind, tormenting him even if it was so very long ago.

Beside him, Yugi forced himself not to recoil as he felt Yami trembling under his touch. It just felt so unnatural on his ever strong Dark side that the Light just wanted to let go to stop feeling it, but he didn't. He couldn't. Yami needed support right then, just like all the times Yugi had needed it from him.

"Nothing bad will happen." Yugi stated again, tightening his grip on Yami reassuringly. "I promise."

His Dark was quiet for another long moment, aware of the gazes still on him, but still had his eyes cast on the wooden flooring before him.

It was impossible to know what he was thinking. He had an expression mixed of wanting to explain himself, wanting to be understood, but almost seeming like he was afraid of his own words.

Yami bit his lower lip, unconsciously mimicking Yugi as he did it too and feeling better just by the action and the knowledge that he was there beside him.

And Griffin well and truly wasn't.

"What did he do to you?" Sakura whispered.

Finally, Yami raised his gaze to his friends. "He changed me."

His voice darkened. Crimson blazed in silence.

"He changed me into _this_."

There were inaudible gasps, but they all knew what he meant in a split-second. Leo had told them this much before. Yami never used to be like this, if anything, he used to be an even sweeter, cuter, littler version of Yugi before Griffin came into his life back in Egypt.

"I used to be like you." Yami said, turning to look into Yugi's eyes. "I was lonely in the palace by myself, but it didn't used to get to me. The servants treated me like a normal kid and they talked to me like I didn't have a title, they even scolded me if I did something stupid. The children that lived in the Temple of Hathor with Luna used to play with me too, like I was of them. And then there was Luna, Shia, Eclipse, Mahado and Mana, they were my family even if we didn't all share the same blood." His cerise eyes glazed over, seeming ever more haunted the longer he spoke. "I was lonely, but I was happy."

Silence fell again, but Yami didn't notice, all he could think about were the frightening images that were suddenly flowing back as the memory gates crashed open.

"The first day I saw… _him _- I was outside in the courtyard with Eclipse and Mahado. I was playing with Shia and the other children, and then he was right there across the grounds." Yami closed his eyes remembering that day so vividly he wished he could tear it from his mind. "The way he looked at me…I felt like there were insects crawling under my skin. He was clear across the courtyard from us, but he scared me." He shook his head slowly as he opened his eyes again, staring into nothingness. "Those eyes, those green eyes…there was something so wrong about them. They sickened me to the core just imagining what he was thinking at that moment."

"You knew how he was looking at you?" Leo asked surprised.

Yami nodded. "I knew what he wanted, that's why I asked you and Mahado take me back into the Palace as soon as he vanished from view. That one glance just made me feel so cold inside, I couldn't explain it, but I didn't want to be anywhere near him anymore."

"Did you know who he was when you saw him?" Bakura asked. "I mean, you must've known what an evil bastard he was. The stories about him were all over Egypt."

Yami shook his head. "I didn't know. Not much news gets through the Palace walls. I'd heard rumours, but I had no idea what he'd done to Persia until that evening when the servants began to talk about him some more. Only then did I realise - but it was already too late."

Joey frowned worriedly. "What do you mean?"

His friend looked up.

"We'd already met." Yami said.

"What?" Leo said suddenly thrown out of sync. "You couldn't have met him that same evening, me and Mahado were with you that whole time - we were even your guards that night. We were with you all day."

"Not during the evening."

Leo faltered, unsure what the other was saying.

Yami smiled ironically, remembering that night as he looked at his friends. "Do you want to know what happened that evening? What he did just so he could get close enough to meet me?"

The atmosphere densed coldly. The way he said it made it so no one really wanted to know anymore. To the point that uncertain silence ensued for several moments.

"What happened?" Joey said eventually. He glanced at Leo. "D'you remember?"

Leo shook his head. "No, I'm sure I was with you all the time Yami."

"You were," Yami told him. "You only left my side for about…ten minutes."

Confusion settled. Yami glanced away, listening to the beat of his own heart.

"I hated the way Griffin was staring at me so I went inside to get away from him, but then…he found a way to get to me." Yami felt tears sting his eyes, but he refused to let them fall, it was a long a time ago, and he knew, this was so far from the worst part of the story yet to be told.

But he couldn't stop his voice breaking slightly.

"Do you know what he did?" He said softly. "After the meeting with my father to present his riches and buy his noble title, Griffin snuck into the east wing and killed one of the guards there. He slit his throat with the guard's own sword."

Stunned gasps filled the air.

"_What_?" Mokuba exclaimed.

"Why?" Krysta asked in surprise.

"That's just a one way trip to the dungeons." Bakura remarked, crossing his arms. "Why the hell did he do that?"

"He did it to get to me." Yami said softly. "I was in one of the parlour chambers in the west wing of the Palace. I was just playing a game of Sennet with Mahado and Eclipse, then suddenly, Eclipse was called out by another guard to report the murder. Eclipse left to make sure the Palace was secure of the intruder and Mahado went with him to help search the palace…"

Yami saw Leo's eyes shimmer with recognition and he nodded, finally remembering the events of that night.

"You posted guards outside the doors and you were only gone for a few minutes…but it was enough time for him." He took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts as his feelings threatened to spill over once more. "I was left alone in the chamber, and then out of nowhere, Griffin just…_appeared …_and scared me half to death. I had a dozen guards surrounding me and he managed to get in."

Yami gripped the end of his jacket again, visibly disturbing the rest of the group.

"What did he do?" Tea whispered, dreading the answer.

There was a long moment before an answer was offered.

"Nothing," Yami said softly. He zoned out slightly. "He did absolutely… nothing."

He looked at his friends through eyes that had seen so much more then he could ever describe.

"Griffin just sat on a chair opposite me, and he grasped my wrists and pinned them onto the tabletop, and he just held me there. He said he wanted to talk."

Leo's gaze narrowed sceptically. "Is that all he did? It doesn't seem like his style."

Yami stared into nothingness. Leo's voice just seemed so faraway. "No, that's not all he did. He had that sword - the one he'd taken from the guard he'd killed…it was dripping with blood, and…and he laid it down on the table in front of me first…then he grabbed my wrists and he told me not to scream."

The onlookers simultaneously held their breath as they saw Yami's eyes flicker downwards to his hands. "My wrists were sore for days after that. He held me there by my arms against the table, and just talked to me for ten minutes like there was nothing wrong with this at all." He rubbed his temples, feeling drained even though he wasn't. "I was just a kid, I'd never seen violence, never been hurt by anything that wasn't my fault and never confronted by something so evil in my life. And Griffin just came in, grabbed me, showed me this dripping sword and started asking me questions, trying to find things out about me as if this was completely normal - and all the while, all I could see were the guards racing across the windows outside, running towards the east wing. And all I could hear were them shouting over and over that there had been a murder."

Understanding swept through the group.

"Griffin killed that guard on purpose, didn't he?" Grandpa reiterated. "He murdered that guard to get Mahado and Eclipse to leave you alone so he could get to you."

Silently Yami nodded. There was nothing else to say.

"That must've been so frightening," Krysta remarked. "I mean…the aura Griffin has, you just _knew _he was mass murderer and you were caught in a room alone with him and pinned down too."

"Not to mention that trick with the sword." Tea added shaking her head incredulously. "I can't believe he showed you that blood-soaked weapon just to scare you enough not to call out to your guards." She frowned thoughtfully. "But why didn't you tell Eclipse and Mahado Griffin was there when they came back?"

"That's a good question." Seto agreed. "You do know his hands could have been cut off as punishment for harming a Prince right? Even scaring you would result in him losing a few fingers."

Yami sighed, pushing away the memory. "I wasn't even sure it was real. He just stole in and vanished again the moment we heard Eclipse and Mahado coming back, he just melted into the darkness and I was left staring at my sore wrists…"

Yugi bit his lip, watching his Dark. Yami was staring at his forearms as if he was reliving the same sensation over again even if his skin was free of any such blemish or pain.

This was really getting to his boyfriend. Yami was looking ever more vulnerable the more he spoke about Griffin - and every other listener in the room was suddenly wishing they knew a lot less about Griffin after they'd been told. It was unnerving to say the least. With every word, Yami was crumbling away from the image Yugi had always known of him.

"So he didn't threaten you?" Leo said studying him shrewdly. "Is that why you didn't tell us he was there?"

Yami cast his gaze up again. "I didn't want to think about it, I didn't want to remember anything that had happened in those few minutes. He may not have hurt me, but I saw into his eyes and I understood why people feared him, hated him, and saw him as so much worse then the devil." he swallowed thickly. "And I'd just told him my name."

"And gave him a name to his obsession." Yue said softly. "Right?"

Yami nodded. "That's when it really started." He leaned back against the window sill, thankfully feeling the contact as Yugi caught one of his hands in his own, entwining their fingers. "After that, he began trying to get close to me even more. He kept coming to the palace with gifts and payments of riches for my father to keep his title, and also just so he could get into the palace itself. There were hundreds of guards and my protectors to deal with so it was difficult for him to get in without a reason to see the pharaoh himself. Then, when he got in, he'd try everything to get close to me."

"Is that when you all got so protective over Yami?" Ryou asked. "You told us before Griffin was trying to get nearer to him."

Leo nodded. "Right. Griffin already wanted Yami so he was trying everything to get close enough to court him."

"He failed so many times," Yami told them. "There were always people around, the palace was huge like that and needed hundreds to run it and all the grounds - he couldn't get me alone the way he wanted."

"Not if we had anything to do with it either." Leo added. "None of us wanted him near you."

"It didn't stop him though."

Now Leo looked surprised. "What do you mean? We watched you like you were about to burst into flames."

"Even you weren't around all the time, Leo." Yami told him. "Griffin's resourceful remember? He used a murder to get to me the first time and he was as manipulative as you can get." His voice quietened, sounding more faraway and lost then before. "It was like he was watching me. As soon as I was alone, no matter how short a time it was, he's just appear out of nowhere like a dozen times before and then he'd back me into a corner so I couldn't escape."

Yami shivered, chilled to the core just realising just how many times Griffin had pulled that on him in the past few days as well. He'd appeared by his side so many times during those short hours he'd been back in his life…

Even Yugi remembered seeing Griffin doing it a few times too. Griffin just managed to jump out of nowhere - it was creepy. It was like Griffin moved like a shadow.

The group's heart strings strummed harshly as they watched Yami shift uncomfortably, visibly grateful and needing Yugi's support more then anything right then.

"Some-sometimes he'd catch me in the corridor and he'd trap me in his embrace against the wall or a pillar so I couldn't run away. And he'd stare at me like I was something he wanted to devour. He'd try to sweet talk me, and he'd touch my face and try to kiss me so many times…but the one thing I remember him saying before I managed to run away each and every time was…"

Yami's voice trailed off, the words flaring through his mind.

"Yami?" Yugi called gently.

His lover shivered.

"Rubies," His lover whispered. "My eyes are like rubies…" He shook his head. "I don't know why that always freaked me out. Every time he said it, lust would just be dripping off every word. And he said it, _every time _he caught me."

"My god…" Joey murmured, stunned. "We've heard Griffin say that to you before as well."

The former pharaoh wrapped his arms around himself, feeling cold, but not on the outside. The mere notion that he'd let Griffin get so close to him over the last couple of days sickened him to the core. The one person he was scared to death of, and he'd so easily been taken in by him…taken in by a monster…

Griffin had gotten back into his life so easily; the sheer thought was terrifying now that he remembered just who Griffin really was.

Yami took a deep breath, feeling sudden anger rising within him. "He always said that to me, every time he caught me, he always said it, and it always scared me. Always made me feel so icy inside."

His voice darkened venomously.

"I hated him so much." He whispered bitterly. "I wanted him never to come near me, I wanted to burn my skin off every place he touched me. I wanted to slay him myself, so I started taking extra lessons with Eclipse, training me in case he ever tried anything." He laughed mirthlessly. "Then I found out that bastard had forced Eclipse to teach him as well on my father's wishes."

Yami's cerise eyes darkened ominously, frighteningly mirroring his voice in almost murderous intent.

"I was happy in the Palace, I had the servants to talk to, Shia to play games with and protectors to annoy - and he _destroyed _me. Destroyed my whole life in _weeks_. He changed me. He made me frightened of being alone in my own home, made me terrified to even close my eyes in case he appeared and tried to do something more then just try to kiss me - he made me too scared to talk to anyone about what was happening."

"Did he threaten you if you told Eclipse or Mahado what he was doing?" Yue asked gently.

"No," Yami replied. "He knew exactly what he was doing. And Griffin knew that as long as he didn't hurt me, as long as he didn't leave a mark on me that could prove he'd attacked me, he wasn't breaking any laws. He was being careful with me - he could only trap and torment me, he couldn't harm me on pain of death from my father's laws."

"So you didn't tell us what was happening - what about Shia?" Leo asked questioningly. "You used to tell him everything. Even everything about us. You two didn't have _any _secrets."

Yami looked at him sincerely. "I loved Shia more then anything, I couldn't tell him what was happening, he'd just try to protect me. And that would just make Griffin very, very, angry and put Shia in a world of danger."

"So… so far he had just been sneaking up on you at random times and leering at you like he was doing at school the past few days?" Mokuba asked.

"And trying to get you to submit to his advances." Seto added. He frowned thoughtfully. "But it's hard to imagine Griffin being that patient to wait so long to get what he wanted."

"He wasn't patient." Yami told him. "Each successive time he caught me, his advances became harder to get out of, the last few times he did it, I actually had to call the guards to get free and he'd disappear in a heartbeat and the guards never understood why I'd called them." His hands trembled as he gripped Yugi's tighter. "But that just made things worse. When he caught me again, he was just even angrier that I'd called for help. And now with Griffin and Eclipse already at each other's throats, all they needed was one nudge to wage all-out war on each other. Even if Griffin was never caught with me by him, Eclipse still knew what Griffin was trying to do and loathed him because of it. If anyone hated Griffin more then me, it was Eclipse."

"Damn right." Leo stated venomously.

He automatically reached for his twin blue jade swords and got halfway there before he realised he's dismissed them along with his magical robes and was now back in his regular jeans and shirt.

"If that demon hadn't killed him, I would've loved to have the pleasure. I hope he's burning in hell as we speak." Leo said viciously.

"Okay, you're getting slightly scary." Krysta said quietly, laying a hand on her big brother's shoulder to calm him down enough for Yue to take control over him. "He's staying dead this time so calm down."

"I get why you are so angry with him though." Sakura added in small voice. "Griffin really did deserve everything that was coming to him."

"Anyway," Seto reiterated. "Go on Yami. What happened afterwards?"

Yami's blood turned to ice in his veins as he finally got to the part where everything that had happened would make sense, and explain just why Griffin had been so adamant to get Yami back in the first place and wreak vengeance on his former enemies even if it did take a few millennia to do so.

"After two weeks of chasing me around, Griffin finally got tired of trying to court me and getting nowhere." Yami explained. "He scared me, and he couldn't touch me knowing what any act that could hurt me would equal his death - so he went to my father," Yami bit his lip, unsure whether his friends, boyfriend and ex-boyfriend already knew this part or not, but he plunged on anyway. "He asked for my hand in marriage."

Everyone had almost forgotten Griffin and Yami had been engaged. It just seemed like the stuff of nightmares.

Tears stung his eyes again, mixing chaotically with anger and hatred of what his father had tried to do to him, without ever knowing the true plot behind it all.

"H-he agreed." Yami said, trying to keep his voice steady and failing miserably. "My father just agreed in one night to marry me off to him - that _monster_…" He shook his head, feeling ever more upset the more he thought about it. "It was like he didn't know the stories that came out of Persia about him, or maybe he just hated me so much he wanted Griffin to destroy me completely -"

"That's not true." Leo said sharply.

Startled at the interruption, Yami blinked, casting his gaze over at his friend.

"What?"

Leo faltered, unsure how to go on. After all, Yami didn't know about the ancient plot did he? This had been a secret affair between Eclipse, the old pharaoh and Griffin, Yami had never found out about it even up until now…

He hesitated.

"Look," Leo said finally. "Your father was a good man, a good pharaoh and he cared about you enough to give you a childhood before you were trained to take over the kingdom Yami. The point is…he had his reasons for engaging you to Griffin, but Eclipse would swear on his life that it was never meant to put you in any danger."

Yet again silence fell; only this one could be cut with a machete. Strangled silences weren't one of the best traits of this particular group, but it was one of the most common.

And they didn't usually hide it very well even on a good day.

But Yami didn't notice any of this, his gaze remained on Leo, taking in his words, but being too upset to realise the underlying meaning of what it all pointed too.

"I guess so." He agreed. "But the fact still remained, Griffin went to my father and as the Prince of Persia, he asked my hand, and my father accepted. He agreed to marry me to him."

Yami took a deep breath, feeling the reassuring auras of everyone around him, including his little Hikari.

"It was the third week that it happened." Yami told them. "The third week that it all changed for the worst."

"What happened?" Yugi asked looking up at his boyfriend.

Yami closed his eyes thinking back. "After finding out I was engaged, Griffin started making his advances much more open. Now we were to be married, it didn't matter how many people saw us together and he no longer needed excuses to visit the palace either. The only thing that stopped him was another law that my father imposed strictly onto him. It was made law that Griffin was forbidden to touch me until we were married."

Something clicked in his mind, but it just seemed to trivial now.

"Maybe my father enforced that law to protect me, but I can't be sure. But anyway, things started to heat up even more. Griffin was getting into the palace more and more often, but I'd gotten really good at avoiding him and hiding out for most of the day; but that just made him angry - and that made the moments when he caught me even worse."

He opened his eyes again, finding Yugi looking up at him with anxiety reigning through his own, fretfully biting on his lower lip.

It was like looking into a mirror, it really was. A polished gold mirror that adorned the palace wall; a reflection of little kid that was suddenly thrown into a situation that he was just way too young for, much younger then Yugi himself…

"He kept on coming into the palace, but I was getting harder to find so when he eventually did catch me alone - he was always angry, always wanting more then he could have…and getting rougher with me by the second."

"He was beginning to hurt you?" Grandpa asked, shocked.

Yami nodded, ironically. "He had a way of grabbing me and holding me still that wouldn't leave any marks on me. He could grab me so hard, but I'd never bruise so no one would ever know unless I mentioned it. Then when his obsession grew, he kept on wanting more and more from me even though the law he had sworn to keep him at bay. He couldn't touch me until our wedding night, that's why he never took advantage of me. Breaking that law would equal his death as much as violence towards me would. Before that law, it was the fear of being caught hurting me that kept him from all-out attacking me and now this law was there to stop him from going too far too."

"Why didn't you ever tell anyone?" Sakura asked in misunderstanding. "He was tormenting you Yami, you were just a little kid, you should have said something -"

"Like what?" Yami said sharply, visibly upset. "There was no marks on me, Griffin always managed to appear and disappear like a shadow and he would only leave to promise to be back again - and be worse then the last time. He only ones that knew about Griffin's obsessive behaviour were the servants in the palace, but they were all too scared to say a word and too aware that Griffin was noble, a rich noble and with riches like that, he could do whatever he liked."

"Hang on," Seto interrupted. "You were a _Prince_; you could have anyone you like sent to the dungeons or worse just because you say so."

Yami shook his head. Anger rose up inside him again. "Not Griffin, his grip was too tight. He was one of the richest nobles in the Kingdom, there was no one he couldn't bribe into silence, or get out of his way via other means. If I had him arrested, he'd have either bribed or murdered his way out of it in mere minutes - then he'd be majorly pissed off and back for me. Aside from that, everyone knew the stories, they all knew what crossing him would equal - even the guards tried to avoid confrontations with him for the sake of their lives and that of their families."

"That's true," Leo agreed. "He had a huge amount of influence because of his wealth, not to mention he'd militate someone for no reason at all. The only one Griffin obeyed was the pharaoh himself and that was only because he needed his status as a noble to keep doing whatever he wanted, and the pharaoh wanted his riches so he let Griffin do what he liked too."

Yami looked at Leo, his gaze hardening knowing the truth of his next words.

"You remember being Eclipse, don't you Leo? You remember how hard it was not to kill him every time you saw him. You wanted to tear him apart because you knew he was after me, but because of my father's orders and his status, you couldn't touch him, and you couldn't watch me all the time to save me from him."

Yami's crimson eyes filled with regret as he saw the anger mixed with wishing in his friend's eyes.

"You _knew _he wanted to rape me every time he saw me, Eclipse, and it tore you up inside just knowing you couldn't kill him every time you recognised that look on his face."

As yet another uncomfortable and disgusted silence fell over the group, Leo looked away wretchedly. He knew how true this was. An age-old pain that belonged to another life gripped his heart knowing the rules and laws that had halted him from protecting his charge all that time ago. Griffin had wanted to rape Yami every time he saw him since that very first day in the courtyard, he remembered seeing that look on Griffin's face so many times, and equally felt his blood boil and the hatred rise knowing that he couldn't slash that grinning face to ribbons just for daring to think that way of a child practically _half _his age.

Biting his lip, Yugi noticed the change in the atmosphere. He almost wished he didn't, but there was no escaping it. The temperature markedly fell, and the sunlight streaming through the huge windows just seem to darken on their own accord, casting the room in more ominous shadows. Even his boyfriend felt noticeably colder in Yugi's embrace.

He knew this was the part of the story that would explain everything.

And he just had to ask.

"Yami…" Yugi said softly, his grip tightening on the other. "What happened?"

The Light looked up and found the Dark staring at him already.

Yugi bit his lip, watching as Yami unconsciously mirrored the action too - denoting just how anxious he was right then.

"What did he do to you?" Yugi whispered.

The Hikari blinked in surprise and anxiety as his lover look one last look at him - and turned away, gazing out the window through eyes that seemed to be gazing out of this lifetime entirely.

"Do you really want to know?" Yami whispered.

Yugi forced himself to nod. "Yes."

Yugi didn't look away from the window.

"Then I'll tell you."

The Hikari held back as gasp as Yami abruptly dropped his hand, standing so very alone by the window now.

"It was a week after the announcement of our engagement." Yami said, still turned away from his friends. "Something was happening in the Palace, some news that made everyone…nervous - jumpy. No one would tell me what had happened, but there were more guards posted around the Palace and even the servants ran away from me before I could ask them what was happening. Then I was confined to my bedchambers because of it and I could see all the guards from my balcony, making the Palace more crowded then it's been in decades. They all looked so…worried."

Silence reigned.

"About what?" Tea said eventually.

Yami shook his head, refusing to glance back. "I found out later it was a planned attack by the mercenaries on the gates to storm the Palace, but I didn't know at the time. But that night…I was left alone in my chambers. And there was another storm outside, it was dark and raining." His eyes unfocused for a moment. "It was just like that night a month before. It had been dark and stormy - and just like before, Eclipse had gone to see my father and left me alone."

No one said anything.

They knew without even looking at Leo what that stormy night a month ago referred to. It was the night Eclipse originally made the pact that he would take the throne before Yami, and also laid the foundations for _this _very night Yami was talking about too.

"Mahado was given Watch Duty on the gates." Yami continued. "- which was weird because…he only got Watch Duty on the Palace gates if something really bad was happening, he was the highest ranking of the palace guards aside from Eclipse…" Yami faltered, trying to make sense of his own words without knowing the full story behind the actions of the others in the palace. "And then Eclipse needed to see my father for some reason that he wouldn't tell me, so he had to leave me that night as well."

He bit his lip, trying to remember the events of that night even if his heart was currently protesting against it with all its might. He took a deep breath, mentally reliving that night. It was so long ago, but it felt like it was only the night before. The clarity haunted him like a ghost.

"It was something that couldn't wait. Eclipse didn't want to leave me alone, but he had to see my father and then join Mahado on Watch Duty…he was so worried…worried about something that was happening that night." He pulled himself together a little more. "That was why everyone else was so nervous and he had to leave to make sure the palace was safe. Even Mana had gone to the Temple of Hathor to help Luna hide the children in case anything did happen. So with Mahado on the gates and Eclipse across the grounds with my father and Shia having snuck off to be with Katanya…I was left alone."

The group silently glanced at Leo all remembering the events of the story that had been previously told.

And their suspions were instantly confirmed.

It was the night Eclipse went back to Yami's father to renounce his Prince-hood, Leo had told them this before. That was why he wasn't at the Palace with Yami that night; he'd gone back to the pharaoh to give up his title and break his original pact so he could marry Luna and also indirectly seal Griffin's fate.

It all made sense, and it also explained why there were more guards on duty then usual but Yami's protectors hadn't been with him. The news of the old pharaoh's ill-heath had been leaking more and more by then, and Yami was already a target. The extra guards were an effort to keep him safe as well as reinforcements for the alleged attack on the gates should it come to pass.

They just didn't realise Yami could only be safe with his own protectors - especially from Griffin himself.

No one said anything about this though. Yami still didn't know about the ancient plot, it had been hatched outside of his knowledge and with his protection in mind, and right now, Yami's side of the story still wasn't finished.

"Eclipse made me stay in my bedchambers and posted a dozen guards outside in the hallway and six on the balcony while he was away - but it wasn't enough. It was far from enough." His voice quietened to almost a whisper. "Six guards were never going to stop him."

Unable to take seeing his lover like this, Yugi reached out and caught Yami's hand again, gripping it tightly in both his own.

Then, Yugi forced himself not to step back in shock as he felt Yami start to shake, harder then before. Shivers so deep, his very spirit was quivering with anxiety. The fear radiating through his aura was unprecedented; Yugi had never sensed anything like this in his boyfriend before. Even the silent sobs that now wreaked frighteningly through his lover's body felt as alien as Bakura being _charitable_.

Slowly Yami turned around.

"I…I knew those guards," He whispered. "They had wives and kids…"

His voice broke as the tears fell.

"God what he did to them…"

Yami didn't hear the quiet gasps, he didn't hear the shocked voicings of his name either - he couldn't handle it, he couldn't tell the story. It was too hard, too traumatic, way too soul-tearing to think about let alone recount again…

So showed them instead.

Showed them what had happened all that time ago.

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Note – I know, I know, I cut the chapter off at such a bad moment, but I had to finish up since the next part isn't ready yet.

Now, just so you know the next chapter will be a little different then the style of the rest of the story because I suddenly had a fantastic idea and I just wanted to have as much fun as possible so I ran with it and hopefully you'll all love it too.

See you again!

Luv Nefertari


	43. Trauma

Note – This chapter is dedicated to Yami Seirei who was kind and lovely enough to be my beta on this chapter and be all pushy and supportive to make me finish this in record time – THANK YOU!

ENJOY!

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Chapter 43 - Trauma

**Five thousand and three years ago…**

It was darker then ever before in Egypt.

The storm outside was one of the rarest phenomena in these parts - but its fury was as unyielding as the fires of the sun itself.

Yet somehow, Atem managed to sleep.

So many thoughts had been rushing around in his head only minutes before, but now they had all been lost to slumber. Every voice quietened without protest in the presence of sleep.

Thoughts of the sudden air of nervousness that had gripped the Palace, the increased numbers of jumpy guards, the abrupt summoning of Mahado to the Palace gates and Eclipse to the old pharaoh…

It all seemed so out of place.

For a kingdom currently at peace with all other kingdoms…this flurry of activity just didn't make sense.

And yet, somehow, Atem managed to sleep.

Peacefully.

The rain outside the huge balcony doors lessened slightly, the warm winds still strong enough to make the long purple voiles billow out alluring as the moonlight finally broke through the clouds to illuminate the world below and stream into the silent chamber.

The silvery rays glistened off something thicker then water covering the balcony floor and gradually seeping into the bedchamber through the forever-open balcony doors. There was a hint of crimson to the silver-white shimmer, but it wasn't noticed.

Neither was the figure standing in the doorway.

Across the vast chamber, laden with golden objects and intricately carved furniture, Atem snuggled deeper into the silk pillows, unaware of anything around him.

The sleeping child's breathing deepened, the white satin sheets offering whispers of rustles as Atem moved, turning onto his back and letting his form be bathed in the silvery light.

The white silk drapes of the golden four-poster bed fluttered gently in the incoming breeze, offering nothing more then a light caress of the warm air that forever adorned Egypt despite the storm.

Through the moonlight of the midnight hour the figure gazed down at the sleeping Prince. He barely stopped himself as he reached the bed, moving like a shadow through the darkened chamber.

Behind him the silver edged crimson over the balcony floor flowed silently wider, but Atem didn't notice. And neither did the figure.

What the figure did notice…

…was just how strikingly beautiful this one Prince looked under the ethereal light…

The lovely little child that had so captured his attention was only half covered by the silk sheet, and under that dressed simply in a thin white cotton shirt and even thinner cotton pants underneath. They were perfect for sleeping in.

And showing off just what a youthful body the sleeping Prince had.

The silhouette smiled lightly.

He watched rosy lips part, eliciting a soft sigh at his gentle stroke, the barely-teenage boy automatically turning away from the touch, as if he unconsciously knew what had caressed his cheek in such blatant lust.

The figure smiled at the reaction. Smirking in the darkness that the child recognised him without even knowing, and choosing to ignore just why the Prince was turning away from him.

It didn't matter to the figure.

It never had done.

He sat down on the edge of the bed…

…and watched the Prince wake.

Atem felt cold. It was confusing. It never got too cold in Egypt, even at night when the temperature dropped in a matter of minutes; but it never got to freezing point, especially in a Palace forever lit by hundreds of fiery torches. Yet, Atem felt so cold inside.

What he didn't realise…was that it was a warning sign.

Something brushed against his lips - and then covered them completely.

Atem's eyes snapped open.

And his entire vision was filled with glistening emerald green.

As the kiss broke, his heart stopped in pure dread as his voice fell to nothing but a terrified whisper.

"Griffin…"

Griffin smiled deviously, making his eyes shimmer even more frighteningly in the moonlight. It was the ominous grin of the hungry fox to the cornered white bunny.

"Pretty Prince."

Instantly, Atem bolted up in pure desperation. He needed to escape, so much so, the order went directly to his muscles without ever bypassing his mind.

The Prince was quick - but Griffin was quicker.

Before he'd even sat up halfway, Atem was shoved viciously back against the bed. His frightened cry was instantly doused as Griffin captured yet another kiss, stealing away the Prince's voice. The other's hands gripped Atem's shoulders ever tighter, forcing him back against the bed as he reactively tried to bolt up again and again, his attacker pressing down on him like a dead weight.

Scared out of his mind, Atem's heart began to race out of control, frantically trying and failing to push the older teenager off of him. Griffin was just too big, too strong - and he was crushing Atem into the bed under him.

His mind spiralling out of control, Atem was suddenly very aware of Griffin's deep throated sighs, reverberating through his chest and lips and seeping like eels into his own mouth. It was more sickening then he'd ever imagined before. The sounds tore through him like an invasive disease.

And Griffin was _loving _it.

Thousands of scenarios like this had haunted Atem's mind since the very first moment he had seen Griffin, a hundred metres clear across the Palace Courtyard, and yet he had never thought, never imagined just how terrifying it really was.

And now it was happening. And it was very real.

Atem wretched inwardly as he felt Griffin press down on him harder, trying to keep him still as he struggled, and forcing his lips apart with his poison tongue to roam the inner cavern of his mouth. Reflexively, Atem fought against the other, trying to break his hold but it was like trying to carve into iron with a fingernail.

Anxiety rose further and further, quickly losing grip on all sense and reality.

It felt like so many times before. It felt like a _thousand _times before even if it had been only a few that Griffin had actually been able to steal a kiss from him. And for those few times, there had always been someone to see, someone to know what Griffin was doing…

For a split-second Atem froze.

There was no one to see them now.

And no reason to either.

Atem's blood turned to ice - and panic set in. And so did adrenaline.

Above him, he watched through terrified eyes as Griffin continued to kiss him - Griffin's eyes were wide open as he did so, watching every tantalising moment that his young captive fell into terror at his actions.

He loved it. He really did.

Atem fought back even harder; he knew he was panicking; he also knew he was making Griffin angrier by the second. He knew because the harder he fought, the rougher Griffin was being with him. Atem could feel the bruises forming under his attacker's grip.

Atem's heart skipped a beat.

This was beyond bad. Griffin didn't seem to care if he made marks on Atem anymore. And meant he wasn't caring much for the laws cast on him either.

Pain throbbed through Atem's shoulders, flaring out like jolts of spider lightning under Griffin's hands, weakening Atem the more he resisted.

He tried to think of something to do, something_, anything; _he could do to get of this. But there was nothing. This was _his _bedchamber. The guards were _outside_. And Atem couldn't say a word.

He was completely alone and at Griffin's mercy.

Panic turned to an all-out panic attack.

Atem's hands scratched futilely against Griffin's form, gripping at the soft cotton of his black shirt and tearing it away to claw at bare skin, to push the older teenager off of him, to hit him, kick him, _anything _- but that just seemed to make Griffin even more determined.

Beginning to tire and now covered in fabric burns and painful bruises from the struggle, Atem looked up at Griffin in desperate hope of seeing him about to stop, but his hope instantly crashed and burned to cinders. He could see into Griffin's eyes; eyes full of lustful desire, eyes that stayed open as he kissed his captive to watch Atem panic in pure fear as he stole away more and more kisses and stole away the voice the child needed to scream for help.

Atem's heart thudded harder and harder, his breath hitching randomly as panic interrupted the natural rhythm, his mind screaming at him to get out of this to run away and hide like so many times before…

But he couldn't…there was nothing he could do…Griffin was just too strong…

Suddenly Griffin broke the kiss with a satisfied sigh, taking the young Prince completely surprise.

Seizing the opportunity, Atem gasped in a lungful of air when Griffin finally allowed him to breathe, but he wasn't fast enough to cry out. In a flash, the older teenager clamped a hand over Atem's mouth and held him captive against the bed, easily catching both of his wrists in one hand and pinning them above his head.

His heart pounding in his chest, Atem stared up at Griffin now straddling him at the waist, easily holding his lower body down.

It was the stuff of nightmares.

Atem couldn't move, couldn't call out, and definitely couldn't save himself from his inevitable fate.

The shout for help died in the Prince's throat and a whole other wave of understanding flash-flooded through him.

Griffin's lower lip was bleeding, that was why he'd stopped kissing him. In his haste, Atem had accidentally bitten him.

It was also why Griffin suddenly seemed more aroused then before.

The other leaned closer to the Prince; his balmy breath ghosting over his prisoner's flushed cheeks.

"Come now, Prince Atem," Griffin said softly, silkily. "You're being very impolite this evening. I was only greeting you."

He smiled as Atem wrenched his wrists down in vain, frantically trying to break the hold. Griffin chuckled softly, sounding like the amused laugh of the devil through the midnight hour. He could feel the small wrists of the child in his grip, it felt like a couple of twigs that could so easily be broken. Atem ever breaking out of it by sheer strength was laughable.

He tightened his grip on Atem as he leaned closer, gazing into petrified crimson eyes. He could feel Atem's chest rising and falling ever faster as panic-breathing set in, showing just how much of an effect his actions really were proving to be.

"I'm not finished yet, Prince Atem." He whispered sweetly. "I want to greet you properly. And look into those _lovely _ruby eyes…"

The Prince's heart stopped completely. He _knew _that look.

Atem whimpered as he felt the hot slickness of Griffin's tongue trace the line of his jaw up, then nibbling playfully on his earlobe.

"By the gods, you're beautiful…" Griffin murmured hungrily.

He couldn't help himself.

This time Atem barely had time for a breath before Griffin pulled his hand away from his captive's mouth and replaced them with his lips, imprisoning them once again.

He whimpered in terror as he felt Griffin's free hand roaming his body, far from gently, taking in every contour of his chest and tracing every line, studying every single aspect of Atem's young virgin body. Every moment of which excited Griffin ever more.

The little Prince's heart was pounding out of control. His nerves felt like they were on fire from an acidic touch.

And Atem felt sick to the core.

Silently screaming in his head, the Prince felt Griffin's weight pressing down on him. He felt so heavy; crushing Atem's significantly smaller form and heavily restricting his breathing. The adrenaline rush was fading and so was his strength, and now his lungs weren't working effectively anymore…

Atem automatically opened his mouth struggling to breathe, and Griffin took full advantage, instantly plunging his tongue into the cavern beyond and tasting the young Prince as he pleased.

Any law forbidding him to touch his young fiancé were forgotten.

In desperation, Atem closed his eyes, squeezing them tightly, hoping and wishing to the gods this really was all some sick twisted nightmare he was having. Griffin couldn't be here, he just couldn't. Atem had guards, he had protectors, he had friends that cared about him even if his father hardly knew he was alive - this just couldn't be happening.

In blind anxiety, the Prince still wrenched at the grip that held him captive, ignoring what Griffin was doing to his mouth and body with every single fibre of his being - it was all he could do not to go completely insane. His lips were being invaded and his body violated by groping hands that were hell-bent on ripping his clothes off, but Atem ignored it all. He had to or he would be disgraced at himself enough to take his own life once Griffin had finally had his fill.

With all his will power, Atem turned his gaze to the door, silently screaming for the guards to come rushing in and save him like they'd been trained to do for hours on end. He could hear them just outside the double doors, their nervous breathing sounding louder then the Temple drums over the silence punctuated only by his own barely-audible whimpers and Griffin's incessant lust.

Tears filled Atem's eyes. They were only metres away from him and they could save him so easily from the hell that was Griffin. Even the guards outside in the grounds sounded so close, but the young Prince couldn't say a word, couldn't give any sign that he was in danger.

On top of him, Griffin's weight shifted to his hips, now grinding into Atem's over the thin silk sheet and the even thinner cotton pants that he always wore while he slept. For moment, the Prince's mind snapped back to the reality enough to realise just what Griffin was doing at that point in time.

The young Prince heard Griffin's breathing, already hot and laboured and becoming even heavier, panting over Atem's neck as the other bit down onto the soft virgin flesh. Atem whimpered at the sharp pain of the action but the sound was muffled by Griffin's hand once more covering his mouth.

His breath hitched as he suddenly realised why his breathing had changed so - Griffin was getting more excited. He had given up on groping Atem for the moment, because he was now grasping at the sheets around him trying to rip them off to get to the Prince's clothes to rip those off too in the heat of passion.

And it wasn't working.

In Atem's efforts, the sheet had wrapped around him tightly and securely, inadvertently buying the Prince some time and hindering Griffin's attempts. Time that was to panic some more.

Instantly imagining several horrifying scenarios of just what Griffin was going to do to him, Atem panicked once more - then stopped and tried to think.

He needed something, anything. Anything he could use against Griffin. There were weapons all over his bedchamber walls just in case he needed them in a bad situation - he just couldn't get to them.

Even the dagger he had hidden under his pillow.

Atem's heart skipped a beat. He had a weapon, it was jewelled dagger. A dagger that Mahado had given him and had practically forced him to keep it under his pillow only three weeks before, just in case…

It was right there, only inches away.

A _weapon_.

Out of nowhere, Atem remembered something, something from the day before. He'd been playing games with the servant girls and then Katanya had done something that he could _use_. He could remember it so well. They'd been playing tag out by the lily pond in the Courtyard and Shia had chased the servant girl into the shade and tried to bring her back.

She'd fought as she'd giggled, trying to get free…and then she'd stopped…and Shia had stumbled and fallen beside her in surprise…_and he had let go_.

Atem's eyes snapped open in glaring realisation.

Griffin shifted again, trying ever fervently to tear off the sheet whilst restraining the Prince and keeping him from calling out, and getting more and more annoyed as the frustrated moments ticked by.

And Atem passed out.

Or appeared to.

Startled that he'd stopped fighting back, Griffin faltered in his actions. That's what Atem was waiting for. Just as he'd silently hoped and prayed - Griffin's grip loosened in shock.

Instantly Atem bolted up, easily breaking Griffin's loose hold. Without a second thought, the heel of his right hand shot up and out, shoving the other viciously in the chest and the left hand reached under his pillow and pulled out the glistening silver dagger.

Atem's mind was a complete blur. He couldn't think straight. Instinct and adrenaline took over once more.

In blind, panic-induced desperation, Atem lashed out his left arm, slashing the dagger through the air in a perfect arc as he dashed away.

There was a low growl - but Atem didn't hear it.

Gasping in a breath, the young Prince was only aware of the sound of rushing air as he bolted across the bed to the side. No part of him cared about what had happened to Griffin, he didn't want to care or to know. All he wanted was to get off this tainted bed, out of this cursed room…away from this monster that had followed him.

If he'd dared look back, he'd have passed out for sure just out of shock and horror of what had just almost happened.

His nerves electrified, Atem was only aware of a weight falling away from him as he stumbled across the bed, his eyes fixated solely on the double doors across the bedchamber - the only doors that kept him confined with Griffin, and held all his guards outside.

With all his heart, with all his mind, with all his body, he aimed unconditionally for the doors - and ran for it.

He never made it.

Atem hit the marble floor hard. His entire form jolted painfully as he fell, the cry of shock stunting from the impact before it left his lips. The dagger fell from his hand, but Atem didn't hear a clatter as it hit the marble floor - only a soft unmistakable rustle of silk somewhere he couldn't see. Confusion, dread and sheer horror rolled into one chaotic mess in his head as he braced his palms against the cool floor and whirled around, instantly terrified of what he would see latched around his legs.

Atem's blood froze in his veins.

But he didn't see blazing emerald green eyes; he saw something worse.

He saw the bed sheets tangled unforgivingly around him.

Keeping him in this room.

With _him_.

Out of the darkness, a voice hissed in pure fury.

"_You little bastard_…"

A hand viciously grasped Atem's shoulder and violently pulled him over onto his back - and offered him the terrifying image of an _extremely _livid Griffin towering over him with a murderous expression.

Instantly, Atem's eyes widened in fear, his arms darting out to stop the impending danger and a deafening scream gathering in his throat ready to tear out of him…but he didn't get any further.

Griffin was fast, uncannily fast.

The scream died before it came to pass.

There was no space for it to exit.

Atem choked as Griffin's fingers tightened around his throat, crushing him back into the floor as his air supply was harshly cut off. The cool marble pressed against his back, seeping icily through the cotton shirt to his skin with no effort at all.

The Prince stared up at his captor, petrified beyond all reason. Griffin's green eyes blazed with anger in the moonlight, looking like emeralds caught in the midst of a volcanic eruption. Messy, dark locks of hair fell around Griffin's darkly gorgeous face, framing his lethal expression frighteningly in the light, like a midnight serial killer about to claim his next victim.

"You are being very, _very _bad, Prince Atem." Griffin hissed angrily.

He kneeled down beside his prisoner, tightening his fingers around the Prince's throat, watching as the barely-teenage boy slowly suffocated in his hands.

"Try and scream now." He sneered, grinning manically through the darkness.

Underneath him, the Prince gripped at the other's wrists trying in vain to break the grip that now threatened to cut off his only air supply. He could hear his blood pumping like rushing torrents through his ears, his lungs screaming at him to breathe - but Griffin's grip was too tight and getting stronger by the second.

He was beginning to lose awareness.

Through terrified eyes, Atem's gaze darted away from Griffin, desperately staring at the double doors that separated him from his guards now only metres away. He was so close, just one sound and the guards would come rushing in swords brandished and slash Griffin to ribbons. One sound was all he needed, but he couldn't even manage that.

The quiet pressed over him like a solid lead weight.

"I wanted this to be easy." Griffin whispered maliciously, anger dripping off every word as he closed his fingers ever tighter around Atem's neck. "After all, you belong to me now, Prince Atem. You are my betrothed - _your body is mine_."

Atem drew in a tiny, stunted and shaky gasp as Griffin suddenly loosened his grip enough to let the air flow, and trying not to cough it back out too soon; but it was only for a fraction of a second. Dimly, the Prince felt himself being bodily dragged up to his feet and was suddenly thrown violently against the nearest solid gold bedpost. In a flash he was pinned there mercilessly by his neck; Griffin's iron grip back in place, cutting off his air supply once more.

Atem froze abruptly; Griffin's green eyes only millimetres from his own, staring down at him. His heart stopped dead. Something red glistened thickly in the moonlight over Griffin's neck.

There was a flesh wound just under his left ear, a clean gash oozing a small stream of blood down the side of Griffin's neck.

Atem stood there against the bedpost, terrified to the core.

"Did you enjoy that, _my love_? Did you like drawing blood from me?" Griffin mocked darkly, glaring harshly into the Prince's eyes that were still fixated on the bloody wound. "I hope you did because you will _pay _for it now."

In a flash, Griffin released the Prince's throat, grasped his hair, pulled him forward slightly and in one fluid movement - viciously smashed the back of Atem's head against the solid gold bedpost.

There was a dull crack.

A tiny moan escaped Atem's lips as he collapsed, but no one heard it. His entire body turning rapidly to jelly, the Prince fell forwards but he never hit the floor. An arm snaked around his waist, catching him quickly and almost gently pushing him backwards onto the softness of the bed again.

With all his willpower, Atem tried to stay awake. His head was pounding out ripples of excruciating pain that seemed to get worst each successive wave. And for some strange reason, there was something warm, thick and wet trailing down the back of his neck…

Vaguely he tried to concentrate on his breathing, focussing on the odd thought that he needed to. He took in breath after breath, trying to stay awake, but the action just seemed to make him ever more breathless. And the darkness of unconsciousness was gaining more and more power over him despite it.

He was aware of soft, devious chuckling around him, but it didn't seem to register in his mind, nothing was.

Atem knew he needed to get away; it seemed to be the only thought in his mind aside from the agony of his crushed skull. Feebly he tried to get a grip on himself and on reality, but the attempt was rapidly failing miserably. The quiet laughter felt so close, he didn't understand why it chilled him so much, all he knew was that he had to get away from it.

Clinging to the thought like a lifeline, Atem weakly forced himself to roll onto his front, trying with more failure then success to grip the oddly moist sheets he found under his hands and crawl away.

His mind was too overcome, his heart beating way too fast, and his body too tired to get very far.

Especially not with Griffin towering over him, sniggering at such desperation to escape when it just was not an option.

The world tilted and swirled crazily before Atem's eyes as he was roughly flipped onto his back again and his wrists once more easily caught and held.

Atem's will gave out. He couldn't fight Griffin off again; what little strength he had left was being ripping away from him with every ripple of pain that throbbed through his body.

He parted his lips, trying to force out a call, a word, a sound, anything to attract attention. Nothing worked. A scratchy, barely audible moan tore from his bruised neck offering more pain then it did sound. His throat was so sore, so inflamed; he could barely breathe let alone call for help. Every breath felt like barbed wire scraping over torn-open flesh.

Another deep chuckle accented the air.

Against his will, Atem forced his eyes to open; he needed to see even if he'd never get the image out of his mind again.

Griffin leered down over him hungrily. His grip tightened on the Prince's wrists, pinned either side of him against the bed. He smiled, laughing softly once more of pleasure yet to come.

"You have left me no choice, my love." Griffin said almost caringly. "I did not intend to harm you. I only wanted to love you tonight. I only wanted you to be mine entirely just once this night - it would have been perfect. After all, all your protectors are busy and you were just lying here in your bed…waiting for me."

Atem shook his head slowly, trying to speak and failing yet again.

"You have given me no choice, Prince Atem." The elder teenager whispered. "I did not want to have you as you slept, or even subdue you - but now you must be punished for your resistance. And I am going to have you, my love, have you the way _I _want you."

The little Prince turned away in fear, more tears forming; but Griffin slipped a hand under his chin, forcing him to look back.

"Soon you will be screaming my name, Prince Atem." Griffin whispered seductively.

He leaned closer, gazing deeply into frightened, severely concussed crimson eyes. He grinned.

"And you are going to _love it_."

Atem tried to stop the advances, but he was too weak, too battered and drained. The cool night air ghosted over his skin as Griffin easily gripped the Prince's slender wrists in one hand and ripped away the shirt that covered him with his free one.

"Your body is my temple, little Prince." Griffin stated. "You are _mine_."

Effortlessly curbing Atem's protests, Griffin slowly slid a hand over the other's bare chest, lustfully savouring the touch of soft, virgin flesh that had never before felt the heat of sexual passion.

His eyes shimmered with overflowing lust. "So beautiful…"

Beneath him, Atem shivered at the touch, it was like an icy knife was trailing over his body looking for a good place to cut the skin. He could feel Griffin's hands, hands of a _murderer _gliding over his body, taking in every contour, every sensation, every single part of him.

He whimpered in disgrace, trying to resist and not getting very far. His arms and legs felt like lead weights and it was making it harder and harder to struggle. His head was hurting so much, even worse then before now, he couldn't even think vaguely straight anymore. He knew he was terrified, he knew there was a monster devouring him and he knew he needed help, those were the only thoughts he could hold onto right then, and he clung onto them like a lifeline.

Semi-consciously, Atem felt the hot slickness of Griffin's tongue over his skin, closing around his nipple and biting down on the unwillingly tautening nub.

Atem felt so sick, so used, he wanted to get out, he wanted it more then he wanted to breathe.

Griffin's hands continued to roam over him, so far only savouring him and not yet taking full advantage - but he was getting wrapped up enough to become a little more careless.

The pressure around Atem's wrists suddenly lessened.

Atem blinked. Forcing himself to focus, he turned his head to one side, feeling, and trying his best to ignore, Griffin's ever heavier breathing over his neck and body.

His heart thudded loudly in his ears as he stared, trying as hard as he could to figure out what his eyes were showing him with a mind that seemed to be stuffed with cotton wool. Finally, he figured it out. Griffin had released his wrists from where he'd pinned them above Atem's head. Now the Prince was free - but Griffin was by no means dense.

Weakened, semi-conscious, voiceless and barely aware of anything, he knew Atem wouldn't be an escape threat in this state.

He couldn't run away. He'd been fully able to before and he'd failed miserably; but now he had another idea - and he held onto it like it was the secret to life itself.

As Griffin busied himself groping him, Atem focused again and finally understood what his mind was trying to tell him. Slowly he reached out his right arm, letting it fall limply against the bed as he did so…and reached for the gleaming handle of the clay water jug.

The idea seemed so simple, so doable, and the jug was right there, barely a metre away…

The blue-glazed clay felt smooth like glass under his touch as he reached, only the very tips of his fingers grazing the handle. This was his only chance; he knew it; so he poured every single ounce of strength into this one simple task.

And then slowly, surely, the jug began to move. The jug glazed over the gold surface of the table almost silently; the remaining sounds easily masked by Griffin's pants and groans.

Atem's head pounded even harder with all the effort he was using, making a point to thud closer and closer to the passing-out-mark with every drop of strength he used up. His breath escaped him in little whimpers of effort, each tiny sound searing through his bruised neck like a torrent of acid flowing down this throat, but he kept at it, desperation kicking in,

The jug inched ever closer until…it was right at the edge.

Sheer determination taking over, Atem hooked a finger around the handle - and _pulled_.

The jug fell.

Atem's heart leapt.

Then it stopped in dread.

And Griffin smiled.

"What a clever little Prince." He commented in malicious playfulness.

Atem couldn't breathe. His lungs just refused to work in pure shock. He watched in frozen horror as Griffin placed the jug back on the bedside table and looked down at his prey, his eyes glinting mercilessly. The Prince couldn't move, he couldn't believe it. How could he possibly…?

Atem's blood ran cold.

Griffin's right palm was pressed against his chest, just over his heart. And Atem's heart was currently racing a mile a minute. The truth struck him harshly. Griffin had felt his heart rate rise, and he'd known Atem had been up to something.

"Too bad I am sharper then you are, my love." Griffin chuckled coldly.

He regarded the young Prince with ominous adoration, once more capturing Atem's wrists in one hand before the child could protest and leaning down frighteningly closer to him to stare into those wonderfully frightened eyes.

"I will break you, little Prince Atem." Griffin whispered lethally.

His voice dripped of cobra venom as his free hand grazed over Atem's cheek, forcing his captive to stare him in the eyes.

"You belong to me." He continued. He smiled in the darkness, a deep, amused chuckle escaping him. "And for your insolence, you must be _punished_."

Atem's throat closed up painfully as he tried to cry out, trying to plead for him to stop; but nothing issued from his lips. His neck was too sore and swollen from the attempted strangulation to offer anything more then a kitten-like murmur of protest which Griffin just laughed at.

He choked on his own stunted breathing as suddenly Griffin roughly tugged on his wrists, harshly pulling him up into sitting position in a flash. The world tilted insanely before his eyes, quickly followed by a wave of dizziness that threatened to pull him into the depths of unconsciousness - and then he'd have no chance at all of escaping Griffin's intentions.

Now that was bloody frightening.

Atem stayed frozen in Griffin's clutches, mostly because he had no strength to fight back anymore but also because he didn't see any other choice available at hand.

Then, he abruptly realised something had happened that he'd only just noticed through his fuzzy mind. The Prince unexpectedly found himself sitting up, but he was no longer faced with Griffin's leering face gazing down at him thinking of only-the-devil-knows-what behind those chilling green eyes. No…Atem found himself staring at the far wall instead; Griffin was nowhere in his current line of sight.

Confusion set in, then dissipated when his mind finally caught up.

Griffin was no longer in front of him - he'd pulled the Prince up only to scoot around _behind _him. Atem was sitting up on the bed, between Griffin's legs as the other held him from behind.

Instantly a thousand more terrifying scenarios of why he'd done this rushed unforgiving through Atem's mind, all demanding attention and each scaring him even more then the last. His heart pounded ever faster as he felt Griffin's arms tighten possessively around his waist, roughly and jealously dragging the younger captive into his arms and pressing him back against Griffin's built chest.

Atem dragged in a shaky, panic-fuelled gasp. His cerise eyes widened in fear through the darkness. He could hear Griffin's breathing. It was hot and heavy, falling moistly over the right side of his neck - and getting notably accelerated the longer Atem was held like this.

A deep but knowing chuckle accented the air.

"Now this is more like it…" Griffin whispered.

Atem gasped sharply, aggravating his throat as he did so, but didn't feel the pain - he couldn't when he felt something else so sickly he wished to god he could drop dead right then and there.

"Shhhh," Griffin whispered into his ear. "You will like this, I promise you…"

Atem tried to fight back, he tried with all his heart mind and soul, but the way he was held, he couldn't do a thing. His voice was gone, his arms were pinned to his side by one of Griffin's, managing to snake all the way around the Prince's lithe form and hold him there…and all the while, Atem couldn't do a thing about his free hand.

Which was currently dragging his legs apart and now sliding up his inner thigh…

Griffin laughed again as Atem convulsed in his arms, another desperate whimper escaping his lips as he tried to fight back against the violation.

"Shhh," He whispered again. "Give me time, my love, and I will give you pleasures like you have never experienced before."

Atem defiantly shook his head; still resisting the come-ons like Griffin's touch consisted of razor blades. Behind him, there was a low growl - but the other didn't stop. Griffin only got more determined then before. The little Prince squeezed his eyes shut; refusing the tears that welled there as his captor ignored his protests and began taking full advantage of him, becoming ever rougher the more he fought back.

Another irritated growl issued at his ear.

"You _will _keep still." Griffin commanded angrily.

Spurred on, Atem struggled some more. He felt like he was getting stronger. His mind was clearing a little more now, and the pain in his head was dying back to a dull throb.

It seemed Griffin also noticed the returning strength and quickly changed tactics. Tightening his hold on Atem to keep him still, Griffin left his avid action of groping and reached up to the Prince's head instead.

Atem moaned in a flash of pain as the other abruptly gripped his hair, whipping his head viciously to one side. But then he froze, petrified at the sudden murderous tone in the other's voice.

"You will love me, Prince Atem." Griffin whispered close to his ear.

Forcing his rapid breathing to slow, the Prince determinedly shook his head. "N-v-er."

The word was barely audible, stunted crudely and instantly made his throat seize up, making him choke and severely restricting his breathing, but he had to say it. He had to.

Out of his view, Griffin smiled. "Oh you will do as I say, my love." He said casually.

Abruptly, he released Atem's hair and roughly covered his prisoner's mouth again, simultaneously drawing the Prince's head back to speak directly into his ear.

This way there was no way Atem could misunderstand him.

"You will love me, Prince Atem." Griffin whispered menacingly. "Because if you don't…"

The chamber's temperature dropped.

"…your little girl friends are going to pay for it."

Atem's blood turned to ice.

Griffin grinned feeling the child stiffen in shock in his arms. "Oh yes," He went on happily. "You see, my love, I know all about them."

Atem didn't move, didn't breathe, didn't even offer a heartbeat. Unquestionable dread filled him.

"Three little girls, for three little Princes." Griffin whispered. He laughed softly, mirthlessly. "Like a little fairytale. Three little girls for three little Princes. It would be such a shame…if they were to die _horribly_…"

There was complete silence.

Griffin felt Atem's heart start pounding mercilessly in his chest, jolting his entire body, and he loved the reaction.

"Don't you think so, Prince Atem?" He went on. He sighed deeply, apparently thinking. "If the three little girls that you three little Princes love so _so _much, were to die because _you _were being unreasonable - it would be _such _a shame." He chuckled again. "Really, you Princes should be more careful about who you fall for - and who finds out about them."

Atem's mind was racing a mile a minute. There was no way he could know, no way in hell he could know…

He just couldn't. _Nobody _knew about the girls accept the servants and they never told anyone else because of their low social status, even Atem was pretending not to know, but the only reason he _did _know was because he found out by accident - and well, Shia had _told _him about his one.

He tensed in Griffin's arms; unsure and now freaked out of his mind at what he was hearing.

_There was no way in hell…_

"I know everything." Griffin told him. "And if you do not cooperate, little Prince Atem, _they _are going to pay for it with their _lives_." He smiled thoughtfully.

Atem struggled in his arms, desperation flooding him, but Griffin held him tighter, forcing him to still and listen. He wasn't finished yet.

"First I will have that servant girl that Prince Shia likes so much. She is very, very beautiful, I must admit. A rare treasure." Griffin said casually, as if this was the most normal thing in the world to be talking about. "It would be such a waste if I carved that beautiful face off of her head and threw it to the crocodiles in the Nile - do you not agree?"

A tiny, muffled whimper escaped through Griffin's hand from Atem's lips; he couldn't stop it. Nor could he make his lungs work properly anymore. He was instantly terrified out of his mind.

"Or shall I just gouge out those exquisite eyes of hers?" Griffin said thoughtfully. "Amber…such an unusual colour. I will be admiring them as I listen to her screams."

Tears filled Atem's eyes.

"They would make such lovely ornaments." Griffin continued, seemingly oblivious to the sheer heinousness of what he was suggesting, and loving the impact it was having upon his young captive. His voice lowered seductively. "Just imagine, my Prince, if one night you disobey me, you will open your eyes in the morning… and look straight into hers."

Atem's breath hitched.

"They will be laid there on your pillow, all pretty for you." Griffin's voice deepened menacingly. "And they will forever remind you of your insolence." He chuckled suddenly. "And I suppose your precious cousin Prince Shia will just _despise _you for the rest of his life, won't he? He will _hate _you for killing the girl he loves. He will _hate _you _forever_."

Tears were flowing out of Atem now. The tide was unstoppable. They glistened in the moonlight, looking like silken streams of liquid silver flooding down his cheeks and falling onto the bed.

The words were tearing him down so fast.

Fear, horror and sheer self-hatred crowded chaotically in the young Prince's heart. The words chilled him to the core, but not only for their vicious imagery, but because he knew Griffin could do it. _Would _do it. He would so easily kill Katanya to punish Atem for denying him. He'd do it without a second thought - and he'd do it to the letter of his threats.

And he'd _enjoy _it.

"Ah but why stop there?" Griffin went on sweetly. "The servant girl is but one little girl, there are still two more are there not? Two more little girls that you just love so much…"

More tears welled in Atem's eyes.

"As well as the little servant girl, there is also the oh so _lovely _High Priestess." Griffin laughed softly, enjoying himself immensely at the other's torture. He grinned, sarcasm dripping off every following word. "Who knew the _great _and _powerful _Prince Eclipse could fall so hard for a pretty face? I must admit though, Luna is extremely beautiful, if a little on the strong-willed side for my tastes. I prefer someone…easier to control. Then again, if I saw her first I probably would have been pursuing her instead of you, little Prince Atem. I do have a certain eye for beauty." His voice lowered as Atem began to tremble in his arms. "It would be such a shame if I were to shred such beauty if you chose to play hard to get, would it not my love?"

Griffin pulled Atem's head back as he convulsed in his arms, yet another small whimper escaping his clamped lips.

"The very beautiful Luna will just have to be killed if you resist me, my sweet Prince Atem, just as your own personal punishment." Griffin sneered cruelly. "How about I poison the supposed holy waters on the Temple Pool she drinks from? Or perhaps I will set fire to the same Temple that she lives in while she sleeps? I will sit back and watch her burn to death in the temple of the gods themselves…" He chuckled callously. "On the other hand I would just kill her to break Prince Eclipse down anyway. That bloody protector of yours has been a thorn in my side for far too long…plus…"

Griffin's voice lowered even more, whispering into his captive's ear as if he knew these were the words that would break Atem down entirely.

"If Luna dies because of you, Prince Atem, your beloved Prince Eclipse is just going to _hate _you _forever _just like his younger brother will…" He sniggered. "Even I have never seen someone fall so hard for a pretty little girl."

Atem's heart was pounding out of control, beating out tears with each thud and the hysteria that threatened to consume him was almost brimming over completely.

Griffin smiled as Atem shattered in his embrace, his small lithe body shuddering with soul-wrenching sobs that wreaked ever harsher through him.

But the torture still wasn't over yet.

"And then there is _your _little girl, right Prince Atem?" Griffin stated casually. "Pretty little Mana. She was a nice little friend to you wasn't she? Always there for you to play with, to complain to, to help you escape your royal life and try and be normal - is she not just fantastic? And Mahado's little sister too, what a sweet coincidence. Cute little Mana, so sweet, so kind…so easily led…"

He gripped the Prince painfully as he lashed out in his arms, passionately spurred on at the seemingly nice words.

"Uh uh, be good Prince Atem or the carnage will have to begin early." Griffin said sickly sweetly, easily stifling his protests and holding him still again. "As much as I would kill her to crumble Mahado himself, I will restrain myself as long as you do as you are told, Prince Atem." He smirked, his green eyes glinting. "After all, if you don't - I know ten evil bastards of men and a small dark room with a deadlock on it." Griffin laughed softly, maliciously. "I do so love to hear a woman scream for hours on end…"

Atem didn't move. He couldn't.

Images of all the things his captor had just created filled his mind to the point where he wanted to kill himself to make them go away. They were so vivid, so sickening, so inhuman…it was so very hard to banish the thoughts from his mind.

He was frozen. Frozen in fear and dread of those words that had been so easily offered into his own ears. He was frozen.

Even as Griffin carefully took his hand away from Atem's mouth, another silent sob quivering through his form, the young Prince still didn't move.

He couldn't; and now he understood why.

"Good little Prince," Griffin said nicely. "You're learning, well done."

Atem stared at the far wall. He found a good place to gaze at and fixated himself on it with all his remaining self-will.

He stared in silence.

And screamed in the confines of his own head.

It was like some horrible nightmare that he couldn't wake up from.

Against his will, his senses heightened.

He felt Griffin's lips graze the back of his neck. He could feel it more vividly then if a herd of buffalo were stampeding over his back. Soft but cold lips lustfully licked at the back of his neck, the almost caring action quickly dissipating as the kiss turned to a hungry bite on soft virgin flesh.

The pain didn't even register anymore.

Like a broken doll, Atem stayed where he was, slumped back against Griffin's chest, silently obeying the commands of the puppet master.

More silent sobs tore unforgivingly through the Prince's unresponsive body, his breathing becoming ever more laboured and his heart beating out ever more pulses of disgusted waves of shame with each sick violation.

Atem felt Griffin's arms tighten around him even more, no longer needing to hold him still, and now only trapping him in his embrace.

More jolts of disgrace echoed through his rapidly tearing spirit.

He could hear Griffin's breath quickening, now coming in short sharp gasps of heated lust filled desire, now happily free to do whatever the hell he wanted.

Atem blocked out the sounds, he was too terrified to acknowledge them anymore just knowing what it was leading up to. He was much too broken to have any hope of stopping them at all now.

The Prince didn't move as Griffin slowly and seductively spread his legs apart - and almost lovingly slid his hand inside the seam of Atem's thin cotton pants.

Atem stared into nothingness.

He was falling. He was falling further and further away from his happy life in the Palace…falling faster and faster towards the sharp jagged rocks piled in a death-trap heap at the base surrounded by deadly cobras hissing in their fury.

More sobs shuddered horrifically through his small body, unable to cease, but still Atem didn't move, only resigning himself to his inevitable fate by self-force alone.

He couldn't do anything. He couldn't risk it. He couldn't save himself at the cost of others - others that he adored, others that loved him back and others that made his two beloved cousins happier then they had ever been in their lives…

He just couldn't do it.

One life for three wonderful girls, and three great Protectors that really deserved to be happy.

Fair trade.

So Atem didn't fight back, didn't move…and he didn't stop Griffin.

It was painful, in more ways then one. Griffin was being so rough with him, and just to torture him for even longer - he was taking his time. His captor didn't care about being careful with him and the bruises were ever increasing until no part of him wasn't hurting. And in his mind, he screamed on and on, the only outlet for such mental anguish were the silent tears that fell in torrents down his cheeks from puffy, darkened cerise eyes.

Physical torment mixed chaotically with psychological trauma as the silent seconds ticked past, until finally he just couldn't cope.

Atem shut down completely.

His tears glistened in the moonlight as they slid down his cheeks, now only vaguely realising that Griffin was trying to take off his pants entirely with one hand to do god-knows-what; whilst the other roamed his chest and his tongue explored the young Prince's inner ear. He knew what Griffin was doing, but it just didn't seem to register anymore and so elicited no reaction but the tears.

Another set of tears fell soundlessly from destroyed cerise eyes.

Nothing could tear Atem out of this trance. He had shut down to spare himself from the torment of pain. So nothing Griffin did, nothing he told himself, and not even the thought of his friends and family could possibly sway his gaze from that fixed spot on the opposite wall and let his mind drift to what was actually going on. He didn't want to feel what was happening, didn't want to experience it or even believe that he was indeed right there being viciously subjected to Griffin's groping hands and insatiable desires.

There was nothing that could tear him from his trance.

And then something did.

The echoes of a loud crash resounded around the chamber followed by a whole horde of shouting, yelling and screaming - all coming through the balcony.

Atem blinked abruptly, snapping back to reality without ever realising he'd left it. He blinked again as the silence shattered under the new sounds suddenly filling with noises pouring in through his flung wide balcony doors.

Confusion set in, but Atem didn't have time to register it.

Suddenly the little Prince found himself free. The arms that had imprisoned him mercilessly in their embrace had unlocked, letting him fall backwards onto the bed, inexplicably free of any cold, evil touch that he'd just been desperately trying to block out.

Freaked out and instantly extremely terrified just not knowing what sick game Griffin as playing on him, Atem roughly shoved himself up. Without thinking he pulled his pants up again and grasped the silk sheet under him, wrapping it around himself tightly.

Rationality had all but gone from his mind now. What little he had left was focused on one thing and one thing only.

Atem whirled around as his heart begin to race out of control and dangerously enter panic-attack territory. His breathing abruptly laboured in a matter of seconds, the child stared around himself, whipping around and back again, searching and staring and trying harder and harder to figure out what he was seeing through a mind previously overrun by the emotional chaos of before.

Atem froze where he was, seated in the middle of the bed, gripping the sheet around him and finally sure of what he was seeing.

He was completely alone.

All around him the fevered shouts and yells were getting louder, closer to where he was, but he still couldn't understand what it all meant. It was all so much so fast, he just couldn't comprehend it all.

Forcing himself to take another look around, slower this time, Atem took in his surroundings.

Just as his eyes told him before, the bedchamber was indeed very empty - there was no trace of Griffin anywhere. He'd come and gone like a shadow, leaving nothing but terror and broken pieces in his wake.

There was no silhouetted figure, no striking emerald green eyes staring down at him with that same frightening leer, and no soft but ominous promise to be back again very, very soon…

It just didn't make sense.

Atem's head began to throb again - badly. More then badly. Actually it had never stopped pulsing out agonising ripples of pain; he'd just stopped noticing them. But now it was hard to miss.

A warm breeze curled into the chamber through the balcony doorway with the silvery moonlight, making the long purple voiles billow out alluringly outwards.

A glisten of redness captured Atem's eye.

The young Prince suddenly found himself walking across the room, gripping the sheet around him and stumbling unsteadily towards the voiles of the balcony doorway. It was the only way into the room at that moment, and it was the only way out as far as his fuzzy mind could tell.

Struggling to breathe through half-panicked lungs and a bruised, sore throat, Atem dragged himself closer and closer to the door.

Just one thought remained in his rapidly slowing down mind.

He needed to be sure. He needed to be sure Griffin was gone. Then he could rest, then he could pass out and heal. Only then could the terror leave his shredding soul.

Atem reached the doorway.

And felt something thick, wet and oddly warm touch the soles of his feet.

Atem glanced down. Crimson glistened in the silver-white moonlight, shimmering like water all around him…like a pool. A pool of thick red - very red - liquid…

Then he understood.

Atem slowly raised his gaze.

He wished he hadn't looked. He really, really wished he hadn't.

Scarlet glittered over the marble floor, looking so sinfully pretty in the light as his gaze travelled on, over the soaking floor, out the threshold of the doorway…and out onto the balcony itself…

Atem froze.

He began to shake.

Shake so hard the tremors wreaked through his small form harsher then his sobs had done before.

Atem was standing in the middle of the doorway that led to the balcony. The very same balcony he'd gazed from a thousand times before and the very same balcony whose doors he forever forgot to close…

And had also housed six of his guards as he had slept that night.

Atem stared - he couldn't stop.

Trembling uncontrollably the young Prince pressed shaking hands to his mouth unable to utter the horrified scream that was caught unforgivingly in his throat, choking off his breathing.

More tears flooded out of him as he staggered backward, feeling sick to the soul as he slid unsteadily in the blood, the sheet around him falling to the floor from his grip. He was unable to take his eyes off the horrific scene before him and it was going to haunt his nightmares for weeks to come.

All traces of innocence were lost, all sense of naivety ripped away as Atem stumbled back, distressed to the core.

His guards…

His _bits _of guards…

Ashen white, traumatised and terrified Atem just stared as total shock set in, gripping him viciously in its embrace.

He didn't hear the chamber doors crash open revealing Eclipse leading a dozen palace guards, his twin golden swords brandished in each hand ready for anything, and he didn't hear the dozen guards dash around him in a flurry of activity, taking in and retching in disgust at the horrifying scene that their fire-torches illuminated.

And Atem didn't hear Eclipse call his name.

Several times.

Atem blinked, suddenly face to face with his cousin, his back turned to the sick scene.

"Atem,"

The young Prince instantly recognised his cousin's voice, that deep, commanding yet caring sound was unmistakable. Atem blinked again as he felt Eclipse's touch trail under his chin, gently raising his gaze to his own.

"Atem." The other called again, more urgently this time and gently shaking his shoulder as he did so. "Atem answer me."

Atem didn't answer. He tried, but he couldn't, his voice was still lost, but it didn't matter. The younger Prince saw Eclipse's blue eyes soften in relief offering him a small smile, knowing without a hint of a word that Atem was still aware of himself and recognised his cousin - and that was enough for now.

Atem looked up at Eclipse as he stood up from where he had knelt; keeping his young cousin close to him, somehow sensing Atem needed the support more then anything at that moment.

"Here, young Sire." Said another deep male voice.

Blinking yet again, Atem found Mahado at his side this time, and was instantly flooded with gratefulness as he slipped his blue cotton cloak around the little Prince's bare shoulders.

"Stay close to us, Atem." Mahado said softly, giving the child a reassuring smile.

Suddenly feeling more secure but oddly more spaced out, Atem looked up at Eclipse, automatically gripping the edge of his cousin's long black and blue velvet robes as they fell elegantly from strong, broad shoulders to the marble floor.

"Secure the chamber and search everywhere in this wing of the Palace. Take triple guard on each Watch team, some of the mercenaries may have made it into the Palace considering what has happened here." Eclipse ordered. He glanced down at Atem briefly, seeing him looking back. His eyes gained a worried glint that just seemed so alien on Atem's ever strong cousin. "And shield the doorway to the balcony - no one is to see this but us."

Atem half heard the 'Yes Sire' replies, but he knew they were carrying out the commands without a second thought. They had been trained to, but above that, they respected Eclipse as much as they respected the pharaoh himself.

He watched enchanted-like as the guards took up positions behind him, shielding him from the carnage on the balcony, quickly obeying Eclipse's commands.

"Atem."

The young Prince slowly cast his gaze up, the world tilting strangely before him as he did so. He looked up into caring but strong azure blue eyes.

"Atem." Eclipse said again gently. "Atem what did you see?"

The images flashed merciless through Atem's mind before he could block it out.

The younger Prince tried to answer, tried to tell him he hadn't seen anything, wanting never to even know he'd seen something so grotesque, but the words scathed his throat as they attempted to form. So he shook his head, and pressed his hands once more to his mouth, needing to stem the scream that gathered there, but he couldn't stop the tears.

He watched his cousin take a deep breath as he looked at him. He knew Atem knew more - but he also knew it would be unwise to push the subject further at that moment.

"You are safe now, young Prince." His cousin told him reassuringly. His gaze hardened determinedly. "We will never leave you alone again."

Atem felt so safe in Eclipse's arms. He was his First Guardian, his Protector, his cousin, the great Prince Eclipse…his friend…he felt so safe in his embrace, even when Griffin was around, he still felt like the monster couldn't touch him as long as Eclipse was here. He closed his eyes grateful to the gods in general for this moment, no matter how brief it may be, and tightened his arms around Eclipse's waist.

Above him, his cousin clasped his young charge lovingly, sensing his trauma but never knowing the full extent of what he had actually seen or been through. He glanced up feeling a gaze on him, and saw the grey eyes of Mahado trained on him.

"Sire?" Mahado prompted.

"I do not think he saw the scene in full." Eclipse replied lowering his voice, gently laying a reassuring hand on the back of Atem's head.

"Shall I take him to the secured Throne Room in the east wing until the search is over?"

"No," Eclipse replied. "Take over for the moment Mahado. Continue the search, and see to the casualties. I will take him and Shia to the Throne Room, I am not comfortable leaving them right now."

"Of course, Sire. I will supervise the search." Mahado agreed. His handsome features softened as he glanced at the Atem. "Just take care of them first."

Eclipse smiled gratefully and nodded. "I will leave them in the Throne Room and return to the Palace Gates. They will need to be secured before -"

Atem heard Eclipse cut himself off, but he was already losing awareness.

Above him, the elder Prince froze, his eyes widening in sudden shock.

"Eclipse what is it?" Mahado asked quickly, instantly noting the change in his friend.

The other didn't answer. Instead, Eclipse glanced down and carefully took is hand away from the back of Atem's head and slowly held it up into the fiery torchlight.

Scarlet blood dripped thickly from his fingers and onto the marble floor.

"Oh gods…" Mahado whispered.

Atem felt the hands gripping his shoulders again, quickly pulling him out of the warm, safe embrace of before and through unfocused vision, he found himself face to face with Eclipse again. Only this time…

…he'd never seen his cousin look so worried before.

That was the very last coherent thing that registered in his mind.

Eclipse quickly caught the young Prince as he collapsed into his embrace, easily scooping the little child into his arms as Mahado gently found the bloody wound that Eclipse had touched on the back of Atem's head.

"He's been struck." Mahado stated gravely, anger filling his voice as he inspected the injury. "Someone has hit him extremely hard. Harder then even I would hit a grown man to subdue him." He shook his head in disbelief. "How can he possibly still be awake after this…?"

A fraction of a second later, Mahado was giving orders to the guards around them instantly thinking the same person who had attacked Atem may still be in the Palace.

"Take over Mahado." Eclipse stated abruptly.

"Of course, Eclipse." His friend answered without thought.

In an instant, Eclipse stood up, easily holding Atem in his arms bridal style, the little Prince now barely conscious at all and staring impassively into space.

"I will return soon." Eclipse said.

Mahado nodded curtly, his grey eyes blazing with subdued anger. "Take care of him."

With that, Eclipse whirled around, his dark robes flaring out around him as he did so, showing a mere glisten of his trade-mark twin golden swords at his sides as he headed towards the doorway to the hallway.

"Summon the healer to the Temple of Hathor." Eclipse commanded two of the four guards outside the bedchamber as he turned into the corridor. He turned to the remaining ones. "Go on ahead to the High Priestess and tell her the Prince has been harmed and to set up a bed. Then post triple teams around the Temple at every exit inside and out. Notify the Pharaoh as soon as you have carried out your orders."

"Yes Sire." They answered in unison.

Atem vaguely saw another figure standing outside the door with the other four guards. He tried to focus on him. It was a teenage boy, dressed in fine white cotton sleeping clothes much like his own, but his mind was fazing out much to often now and recognition flew away from him the more he reached out for it.

"Shia come with us," He heard Eclipse say. "Atem is to be your charge for the night."

"Yes elder brother. I will take care of him."

"I know you will, baby brother."

Atem turned his head, his heart leaping as he finally understood that this knew figure was Shia. For a moment he wasn't sure why he didn't recognise him. Shia may be only sixteen but he was so very beautiful with striking azure blue eyes like his brother's and longish dark hair framing a face even more gorgeous then Atem's…he was hard to miss in a crowd of thousands in the same clothes.

Feeling better, Atem noted with a soft moan that the pain got even worse when he moved, but he had to see. He needed to see his best friend. He knew he was safe when he was with Eclipse, but Atem knew he was happy when he was with Shia.

Something touched his hand as his right arm hung limply to one side. After a moment, the little Prince realised the touch was another hand. The hand of Shia holding his; offering comfort and human contact without ever knowing what had happened but knowing this was what was needed.

Atem's eyes closed in the comfort and security of Eclipse's arms and the soothing presence of Shia, his cousin and his best friend in the whole world.

But as the darkness claimed him, something was different. He knew he'd seen the worst evils of the world - because he'd looked into the eyes of Griffin and seen what was behind them without any shutters or curtains to block out his true nature.

He'd seen what he could do and now he _knew_. Atem knew what someone so fallen from grace could do, because he'd experienced it first hand. And now, he had well and truly changed, all because he knew what was out there now and centred solely on him.

After tonight, he would never be the same again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	44. Scars

Note – hello! I'm back! Wow it's been so long I can't believe it! Just so you all know I haven't been ignoring you and going off somewhere, nor have I abandoned this fic – NEVER! I've actually just came back from three months working in Mauritius! How amazing is that!

I had such a great time there, but, like so many of my nightmares of before – I had no internet! Nooooooo! So instead I took to spending all of my free time ( which I had a hell of a lot of) writing and now I have a HUGE forty page chapter for you! and just so you know, i've had to split it into two updates becasue it wouldnt all fit into one. i swear, it was hell trying to find a good place to break off so you can move onto the next part

Just so you know, I was very very bored at times which explains why this chapter goes on for so long, I really did just use it as a means of entertaining myself, I was that bored to death. There was only so much you could do in Mauritius after dark that didn't involve almost getting killed.

So! Without further ado, lets get on with the fic – hope you like it!

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 44 - Scars 

"_He changed me…"_

The words echoed silently through the living room. Through every mind of every occupant, and slashed harshly through every one of their hearts.

The words made such sense now. Devastating sense.

"It all seems so trivial now." Yami whispered, his deep voice slicing thorough the stillness of the room.

But somehow the silence just flowed back into to reclaim the air as soon as the words had torn through it. It remained and thickened horrifically; all occupants too shocked and mortified to even offer a sound to break it.

Together the group watched Yami. They watched as he stood by the window on this beautiful morning, reflecting on such horrors in his life - and suddenly understanding a whole lot deeper just how they all came to be at this point in time. And just why Yami had been so scared to death to recount the events of so long ago all over again.

Just looking at him now…the trauma he'd suffered was all too real.

"When I think back…" Yami said softly, cerise eyes gazing further and further away. "I was so lucky."

The silence continued.

"It could have been so much worse…" Yami murmured.

But every single one of the listeners agreed to the depths of their souls. The words struck deep, truer then anyone could ever understand.

Yami had been lucky. Extremely lucky.

If it wasn't for the sudden storm on the gates at that exact point in time, if it wasn't for Eclipse and Mahado searching the Palace and coming to get Yami right after the ambush was thwarted, if it wasn't for that fateful moment that interrupted Griffin…

…Yami wouldn't have just been changed.

He would been _destroyed_.

By a _monster_.

A tiny droplet of a tear splashed against the wood floor, followed by the quietest, most heart-breaking sob they've ever heard in their lives.

"My guards…" Yami whispered, letting the tears fall. he covered his face with his hands, unable to take it all over again. "Oh god…"

He couldn't hold them back. He'd never been able to.

He hadn't slept soundly for weeks with that image in his head, drawing out tears as much as the entire ordeal of being subjected to Griffin's lust had done. But his guards…all that blood…the bits…those parts of faces frozen in terror…

It still sickened him to his soul; and now everyone else that had witnessed the heinousness of the act upon those that were there to protect.

Yami shook his head slowly, the grief all too clear in his breaking voice. "I was right there asleep all along…" He said quietly, sorrow wreaking savagely through him. "They didn't deserve it. They didn't deserve - _that_…he killed them, he killed them all…hacked them pieces…all to get to _me_…"

Yugi couldn't take it anymore. Fighting back is own tears, he hugged Yami tightly around his waist, his own spirit shredding just _knowing_. He took in a deep but shaky breath as Yami held onto him tightly, desperate for the contact and comfort more then anything else.

"Oh Yami…" Yugi whispered, his heart aching.

There was a tiny whimper, one that was trying so hard not to be heard.

Slowly, Yami cast his gaze over his friends. He was suddenly struck by how many of them there were - and the fact that Bakura wasn't being Bakura-like at all after what he'd just told them all; he just looked as disgusted as the others. Yami was oddly grateful about that.

Then his gaze settled on the one that had made the first sound

Yami watched big, sorrow-filled green eyes blink and turn away, letting the tears fall. Placidly, he just watched as Sakura buried her face in Krysta's shoulder, noting with ever growing frailty that she too only just held back tears at the truly horrific memory he had shown her.

"My god…" Tea whispered, another voice finally breaking the quiet.

Feeling weaker, Yami slid down the wall he was leaning against, taking Yugi with him as he did so. He could feel himself beginning to shake all over again as he pulled his knees to his chest, gripping Yugi's hands as he did so.

The silence around him was breaking down faster and faster as his friends came to terms with what had happened to him - but with the flood-gates open now Yami couldn't stop reliving the memory all over again after eons of burying it far away from himself just to keep going.

With effort, he released Yugi's hands from his grip, grateful to feel his lover's arms still around him, and pressed his own hands to his temples. Yami squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the headache that was suddenly growing with a blazing temper just as the others finally broke the spell of silence completely.

And the Griffin hating began all over again.

Krysta shook her head, unable to even put into words the sudden sorrow she felt for her friend. "How could he?" She whispered. "You were just a little kid…"

"A mere child," Grandpa agreed sadly. Old amethyst eyes filled with pain. "How could anyone-? How could _he-_? To a child no less-"

"You were so innocent and he just tainted you without a second thought." Yue murmured.

"Even if he didn't get your body, he pretty much raped everything else." Seto said, murderously. He kneeled up, wanting more then anything to get up, get a weapon and take revenge on such a crime but unable to. "And those guards - that was just _sick_!"

"Now I wish more then anything I could kill him myself!" Joey added maliciously, his honeyed eyes blazing with fury. "He'd better be burning in hell for this!"

"And getting his eyes pecked out by manic vultures for all eternity too!" Tea added maliciously.

"I can't believe it…" Sakura whispered. "How could he…?"

"How on earth could you ever get over that Yami?" Mokuba murmured, unconsciously gripping the edge of Seto's jacket.

Ryou bit his lower lip, soft brown eyes watching the pained reaction of Yami opposite them. "I doubt he ever really did." He stated quietly.

Angered hush fell over the group again, until broken by fleshy cracks of someone's knuckles.

All the occupants caught the flash of pure hate in dark green eyes.

"He really was an evil bastard." Bakura stated venomously.

Yami heard the words, all of them, but he couldn't take them in. The memory of it all just kept on coming back to him, replaying endlessly, making him relive the moments over and over again.

_Waking to green eyes…no help…no one there… mercilessly trapped in defiled hands…the guards…oh god, his guards…_

Coldness swept through Yami like a icy tide that even Yugi, no matter how tightly he held him together, couldn't possibly hold back. He felt so cold, so hollow inside, just remembering what had happened…what had been stolen from him that night…

And then came one voice out of the livid nature of the others; one voice that ripped Yami from his trance. Out of the nightmare and into reality…just one voice…

"The guards," Leo said quietly. "I can't believe it…"

Yami opened his eyes, never realising that he'd ever closed them - and looked into sparkling azure blue ones that he had looked into in two different lifetimes, belonging to two different people.

Leo looked back at Yami, feeling Yue beside him offering comfort without a word. He couldn't explain it, but suddenly, he was inundated with feelings and memories that weren't his to begin with. And they were getting stronger and stronger.

"The guards…" Leo said again, gently but his voice unmistakably laced with anger and sorrow. "It was him, it was Griffin." He shook his head slowly, his eyes unfocusing oddly as he did so, but his gaze never leaving Yami's. "It makes so much more sense now. Even mercenaries aren't that brutal…"

Leo closed his eyes briefly, feeling emotions that overpowered his own a thousand to one.

Anger sparked and grew.

"Griffin was there that night…" He whispered.

Yami drew in a sharp breath, instantly recognising the mesh of two lives gazing back at him. He savagely wiping away his tears with a sleeve and defiantly hid his face in his arms, wanting more then anything never to speak of this again and cry himself into an eternal slumber just to make the pain of it all go away.

The image of the state of all his guards was suddenly imprinted upon his mind fresher then he if he were looking at it right now. Their blood that Griffin had played in, splashed all over the marble balcony, staining the alabaster white forever scarlet red. The parts of limbs and bodies scattered in every direction - all too militated to even tell to whom they had once belonged to…

And all eyes of the six strong guards wide-open, staring in frozen horror straight through the balcony doors…and into thirteen-year-old Yami's terrified eyes.

"I-I knew those guards." He choked out, his voice breaking and muffled by his arms. "I'd known them all my life. They were all married and had children they loved to talk about…"

He felt Yugi's gentle hands glide over his shoulders, gently offering comfort even if he didn't know just how much to give. Yami smiled lightly, still hidden behind his arms. He felt so much better just with Yugi there - but he just couldn't get the image out of his head.

All the blood that had spilled out from the mutilated remains and slowly and silently crept into his bedchamber haunted his mind. It flashed before him with every blink of his eyes, offering the nightmarish scene over and over again. Even the sickeningly pretty scarlet liquid that shimmered over the floor in the light of the radiant moon…

Yugi bit his lip as he felt Yami shiver, automatically recoiling even more into the tiny space he has taken up on the floor by the window.

"Yami -" He began gently.

He didn't get any further.

A sharp gasp issued from Yugi's lips as Yami suddenly gripped him, but he didn't care. His lover obviously needed the support and that was what he was prepared to give him. Feeling ever more grief-stricken over what had happened, Yugi just let his Dark hold him. It was all he could do for now. The helplessness of the situation was almost too much to bear, but Yugi determinedly held back his own tears of sorrow for the other's sake.

Yami kept his eyes tightly shut, trying to bury the horrifying image he had spent ages carefully blocking from his mind, only to be confronted with the cheer revulsion of it once more after so long.

He squeezed Yugi tighter, like a doll that embodied all the force of safety and security in the world.

He couldn't deal with it. He couldn't back then, aged just thirteen, and he sure as hell couldn't cope it now. Even after five thousand years and three more mortal years, and everything he had seen and done in all that time - Yami just couldn't deal with _that _image any more then he could deal with the memory of what Griffin had tried to do that fateful night as well.

A chill streaked through the air like invisible lightning. The personification of a several auras feeling extremely strong emotions concentrated in one small space.

It was so cold, so freezing cold - and yet held a fiery edge that almost burned all the occupants of the room.

The cold was the sorrow all the friends felt as well as Yami's pain; but was also the ferocity of the anger that had begun to boil.

"You said you never saw the bodies." Leo stated.

Yami's eyes slowly opened.

It was Leo's voice. Yami had been waiting for him to say more, and dreading the moment that he did.

He knew it wasn't just Leo talking to him - it was Eclipse too. All the memories were surfacing again, Yami had seen it in Leo's eyes, and now he knew; he knew it wasn't just Leo talking to him anymore.

Eclipse wanted answers. Answers to questions that were thousands of years old.

His heart suddenly pounding, Yami let go of Yugi, feeling so very, very alone as he faced Leo once more.

Yami had loved his cousin more then anything in the world, and even attributed the same sensation to Leo too because of it, but still…when Eclipse was angry, usually for harm coming to anyone he cared about, there was hell to pay. Seriously. His anger didn't show often, but when it did, you knew you were in trouble.

Leo's voice had sounded so different just then; so far from the natural deepness that offered kindness as well as profound strength that had always been associated with him.

It was soft, quiet, but edged in the burning coldness that had suddenly invaded the entire room.

And Yami understood why.

He needed to face him now; face his own actions of that frightening night.

"You said you never saw the bodies." Leo said again, his voice unchanged from before. "You said you had slipped in the blood and hit your head - that's how you were injured. You said the mercenaries never made it into your bedchamber, they fled after killing the guards."

Yami choked back the lump of regret that rose unforgivingly in his throat. He could see the pain in Leo's eyes, clouding that vivid azure blue of a mountain lake, blueness purer then the sky on a summer's day. It was a pain that belonged to another life, and yet it shone out so untaintedly as though Yami was once more looking into Eclipse's eyes like he had done thousands of times before.

"You said you didn't see anything." Leo stated.

Yami held his gaze, not even seeing Leo anymore - but his cousin from all that time ago. And felt the shame rise.

"I lied."

There were almost inaudible gasps at the statement, all unsure what to do, what to say…it was like watching a play unfold before them - with a dialogue that had been created way before words had been invented.

The atmosphere was densing more and more by the moment, getting thicker and thicker with unvoiced words, emotions, traits - all things that made the atmosphere so much more forbidding then any of the friends had ever felt before.

Leo looked away, closing his eyes briefly once more, trying and failing to understand what Yami was trying to tell him.

"Why?" Leo whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Why did you lie, Atem?"

Yami noticed the gasps this time, but he was all too focused on his own suddenly thudding heart.

He stared at Leo, but he didn't see him there - he saw Eclipse. He saw Eclipse there before him, addressing him in a way he had hoped and prayed to the gods that he'd never hear his beloved cousin speak to him.

Like he was silently angry with him.

Yami tried to answer; he opened his mouth trying to form the words, but they were out of his control. He couldn't face Eclipse like this; he had never been able to each and every rare moment he had had to face his cousin like this.

It just made him feel even more wretched inside then ever before.

Yami looked away, staring at the wooden floorboards. "I-I didn't want to remember."

"So you lied about how you got hurt? Lied to cover the fact that Griffin had assaulted you and murdered your guards that night?"

His heart thumped at the curtness of the words but Yami nodded, not trusting himself to speak anymore. Tears were welling up in his eyes again, but with every blink he tried to send them away, they just brought back the terrifying flashes of seeing Griffin's leering face and his dismembered guards all over his balcony all over again.

"Atem."

Yami's eyes snapped open with a sharp gasp, banishing the frightening memory that had suddenly invaded his mind again. He looked up fearfully, scared out of his mind that he would see hatred and anger toward him cast upon his cousin's face - but he had to see…he had to know…

…and he saw no such thing.

Yami looked into kind azure blue eyes, eyes he had come to associate with his ever-strong guardian, cousin and friend, but most of all, they were eyes that he knew were Leo's, not Eclipse's.

All the same traits, same soul, same heart - but a different person.

"I'm sorry Yami." Leo said gently, running a hand through his midnight-blue locks. "It's just…" He took a deep breath, trying to fathom strong feelings inside him that weren't his to begin with. "Eclipse knew those guards too." He told him. "He trained them all for your protection. He knew them all, and he knew their wives and their children, all of them. They were his friends as well. Even if he didn't show his pain, it was still there. And unbelievably strong."

All traces of fear of hurting his cousin dissipated from Yami's mind and relief flooded in.

"You're not angry?"

Leo shook his head. "No…Eclipse's memories are just really getting to me and…he's not mad at you, understand? He'd never be angry with you over this - it's _him_."

Yami nodded silently, watching the other. The fact Eclipse's memories were getting more and more vivid was more then vivid in his friend. He bit his lip as he watched Leo locked gazes with him again, seeing the mesh of chaotic emotions of two lives clashing in one form.

And he knew what was coming next.

"You covered for him." Leo stated watching the other carefully. "You never told Eclipse, or Shia or Luna when you woke up, you never told anyone that Griffin had killed them or that you'd been assaulted. You used the mercenary attack to cover for him - why?"

Yami stared at him, the same phrase filling his mind once more. "I didn't want to remember." He said softly, forcing the memories away. "I couldn't… if I did… the memories… they… haunted me…"

The words hit Leo deep, as they did every other listener in the room, impacting the atmosphere like an asteroid.

"So you lied to forget?" He asked slowly. "To forget that night had ever happened?"

"Yes." Yami replied sorrowfully. "When I remembered, I couldn't sleep, couldn't relax, I couldn't get over the paranoia he had left me with. I jumped at every shadow - I scared myself to death just thinking back to that night. What if he came back…?"

He took a deep breath, pushing the memory to the back of his mind.

"I blocked it out just so I could close my eyes at night. Then when you questioned me about what happened after I recovered - I couldn't think about it again or I'd never be free of it."

"So you lied so you didn't have to relive it?" Grandpa asked tentatively.

Yami nodded. "I didn't want to remember."

There was an understanding quiet as Leo and the others took this in.

After a moment, Leo nodded a small smile crossing his lips, offering Yami the comfort and understanding he was so desperately looking for.

"I understand why you lied." Leo said running a hand through his slightly long hair. He stared at the floor, his blood still boiling over the scarring memory. "You needed to block it out. There is no way you could have kept the memory of all of what Griffin did that night alive and still go on as well as you did. But still…Yami…"

The words were left hanging in the air, Leo unable to voice them; but Yami knew they would need to be said eventually. His heart rate calmed down as he felt Yugi's arms protectively encircle him again, but there was something in Leo's voice that still kept him on edge.

"You needed to protect yourself Yami." Yugi said lovingly, drawing his lover's attention away. "As strong as you are, you needed to lie to others and yourself to stop from breaking down altogether. You did nothing wrong."

"You were just little kid." Sakura added understandingly. "We get why you had to lie."

"Anyone else would've done the same thing too." Joey finished gently.

Yami smiled softly, finally feeling like he could after having to relive the events of that dark night. It was like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders just because the people he cared about the most understood what had happened all that time ago, and just why he did what he did all the way up to the present.

"You did look like someone had taken an axe to you though," Seto pointed out after a moment. "Did Mahado and Eclipse really buy that excuse?"

"Marble floors are bloody hard." Bakura remarked thoughtfully. "I broke my ass on one once. God, I was sore for _weeks_."

As was the norm, everyone looked at Bakura in a mixture of confusion touched with fear and the need to be further away from him then they already were - a feeling that seemed to strike everyone around who knew Bakura eventually.

"How did you -?" Tea began looking at Bakura oddly, and then abandoned it altogether.

"Still though," Joey commented. "He hit you so hard, Yami. I mean, we even _heard _the crack when you showed us the memory. That was damn vicious."

"I know." Yami said, unconsciously reaching up to touch the wound on the back of his head that was long gone. "Mercy isn't exactly in Griffin's nature - even on me."

"That cold-blooded bastard." Seto seethed, his dark blue eyes blazing with anger. "If he loved you that much, how could he hit you like that? He could've killed you with a strike that hard."

"And on solid gold too." Mokuba added anxiously. "He could have seriously hurt you Yami."

Krysta leaned back against the edge of the sofa as she looked at her friends. "This is Griffin we're talking about guys, I don't think any of those thoughts ever crossed his mind."

"But still he could've killed him!" Seto fumed angrily. "He even tried to strangle him too!"

"I'm just amazed you stayed awake after that assault," Yue said shaking his head.

"Same here." Tea and Ryou said in unison.

Across from the group, Yami's gaze drifted to the floor again, once more zoning out as the events of that dark night rushed through his mind.

Something clicked in his mind.

As if even he didn't realise it himself, his voice accented the air; quiet but almost ethereal - the words bypassing his heart, his soul and even his mind just to find form in his voice.

"He didn't want to hurt me." He whispered.

Yami's cerise eyes glazed over, unwillingly dredging up the heart-searingly frightening moment when he'd tried to escape. But he couldn't stop it. The gates were wide open and he couldn't stop the stampede.

_Lying on the floor…vulnerable… sheets wrapped around him…looking up…blazing green eyes…arms, hands reaching out in terrified desperation… choking… pleading…pain…darkness…blood…_

"Yami?" Yugi said, worry instantly flooding coldly through his very soul.

His boyfriend blinked, visibly flinching at the sudden address and bringing him crashing back into the present.

"I tried to run away," Yami whispered, his voice breaking. "He was punishing me. I tried to escape and get help…and he got angry…"

Silence fell again as he looked up, grasping Yugi's hand, just to know he was really there.

"In his twisted logic, he thought I was doing something bad enough to need punishing." Yami told him. "It was like he always thought he was _right_, and wrong was…doing something that he didn't like. So when I tried to run away…he punished me."

"That is some superiority complex." Joey sighed in disgust.

Gradually, unintentionally, his honey-brown eyes drifted to his left.

"Don't you dare puppy." Seto said icily, already glaring at him with the full intensity of those dark blue eyes.

Joey quickly looked away, blushing furiously. He really hadn't meant to, and he sure as hell didn't mean anything by the way of associating Griffin with Seto - but just the phrase superiority complex just seemed so Seto-esque, Joey had to wonder if his lover had actually noticed any of the other looks flying his way from rest of the group.

"I still can't believe what happened." Leo said quietly. "Even seeing it myself…"

Yami glanced at him, trying to shake off the glazed expression, but still feeling oddly hollow inside. Automatically he gripped Yugi tighter.

He could see so much more in Leo's eyes then ever before, but it wasn't Leo he was seeing, he knew that more then anything. Eclipse's thoughts and emotions were still getting more potent and Yami could see it all to well in his friend's eyes.

Leo may have understood his denial of Griffin ever being near him that night, but Eclipse…there was an age-old history of hatred between Eclipse and Griffin that had yet to be curbed. The unvoiced words of before were beginning to take form.

Yami stared at him.

Leo closed his eyes, turning away slightly. "Everything he did to you…and to them…"

Feelings bombarded him, emotions that weren't his, yet felt like they were. Old emotions that had strengthened and densed over time, and now breaking out all over again just with the mention of Griffin's name.

Memories surfaced again, clearer and more vivid then before. They were all surrounding Griffin, Griffin and Yami - no, Griffin and Atem.

The blood-thirsty Prince of Persia and the sweet child-Prince of Egypt…

_That first paedophilic look…the chasing…the stalking…the attack…_

Every memory flooded into his head in clarity like he had witnessed it himself…

Leo shook his head slowly, still unable to fathom just how that little kid had ever recovered from experiencing and witnessing such a terrifying night coupled with the mental and physical torture Griffin's lust had taken upon him in the cover of darkness and solitude.

The picture of Griffin towering over the thirteen-year-old, injured, barely conscious Atem in his own bed and the image of the mutilated guards haunted Leo behind his eyes…he just couldn't take it.

No, Eclipse couldn't take it. He couldn't deal with it.

Yami had been a mere child, innocent of everything the world had fallen so far from grace to become. A world that Eclipse and Mahado had fought so hard to keep Atem safe from - keep this child pure and untainted for long as they could.

Griffin destroyed it all. He had destroyed Atem in the space of weeks, made him terrified in his own home and then assaulted him in his own bedchamber, killing off the only guards to help him with savagery that even mercenaries wouldn't stoop too…

…and Eclipse had known each and every one of those dismembered, shredded guards as well as he had known his own little cousin.

Age-old hatred rose uncontrollably, boiling to almost breaking point.

Hatred that couldn't be quelled.

"Leo," Yue said sharply.

Leo slowly opened silently-blazing blue eyes, trying to keep a hold of himself. He let his breathing even out, trying to slow his suddenly thudding heartbeat. The hate was so intense; hatred that surpassed all that he had felt in his short time of knowing Griffin, surpassing him to the month that Eclipse had known him and hated him as well - only much more then Leo had felt and much more explicit.

Leo felt a touch to his wrist. It was warm and gentle, but firm in its own right. He glanced up to see Yue grasping his arm, those exquisite silver-purple feline eyes focused on his own with a commanding presence that he knew Leo would never be able to disobey.

"It's over." Yue stated. "You need to calm down."

Leo blinked, taking in the words. There was a flash of azure blue at his side. Then he realised just why Yue had asked that of him.

He'd changed out of his jeans and shirt into his magical robes in flash. Leo was suddenly dressed in his flowing black and azure blue robes, and, without even realising it, he was gripping the golden hilt of his remaining blue jade sword at his side. He'd summoned his magics and was already preparing to duel; his remaining sword was even pulsing with magic ready to be wielded.

Leo was gripping the golden hilt so tightly, his knuckles were white with the effort and his hands shaking with the overpowering potency of the hate that rose within him.

He hadn't meant to change, but the sheer scale of his emotions and the need to kill Griffin all over again by his own swords were overwhelming enough to transform him on their own accord.

Leo blinked again, needing to use all his effort just to remind himself Yue was talking to him, and what he had said was absolutely right.

It was over. Griffin was dead. And everyone was together, safe and sound.

It was over.

Slowly, with even more effort, Leo released his grip on his sword, but his robes didn't change back to his regular shirt and jeans - not yet. The emotions were still way too strong.

And they weren't his to controlled.

Leo looked at Yami, blue eyes filled with chaotic emotions almost reflecting the other's, and he slowly shook his head in deep misunderstanding.

"How could you ever sleep after that?" He asked softly. "I was a warrior, I was used to attacks and seeing blood and death, but you…you were just a child. How could you ever sleep with Griffin in your life?"

Yami returned the gaze, his eyes glazing over once more as the memories flooded back. "I didn't. Not after that night." He whispered. "Not for a long time."

The group watched Leo anxiously. They watched him clench his fists, all knowing that he was wrestling with feelings that weren't his own, but only Yami knew the truth of it all.

It wasn't just the emotions influencing him now - it actually was Eclipse speaking through him. The past hate was too much to bear and was rapidly taking over. It was Leo's mind, but Eclipse's feelings, Eclipse's thoughts - and they were guiding him more then even Leo knew.

Tears that weren't his own filled Leo's eyes.

"Why…?" He said softly almost demandingly, his blue eyes boring into Yami's. He knew the answer already, but he needed to hear it again. He needed to. "Why did you do this?"

Opposite him, Yami held back a sob, threatening to breakdown at any moment all over again. He could hear Eclipse's voice so clearly, it was heart-searing.

He stared at him, visibly breaking. "You said you understood Leo."

Leo shook his head. "I do, but…"

He looked at Yami, sorrow brimming over his heart. Sorrow that spanned five long millennia and meshed excruciatingly with new sorrow of this past week. It was all too much - two lives with such strong emotions clashing in one mind - it was too much to handle without answers. He _needed _to know.

"Why didn't you tell anyone Atem?" Leo asked, gripping his sword's hilt once more but never looking away from Yami. He had to physically force himself not to draw his sword, just wanting to slash to shreds Griffin's grinning face that so invaded his mind. "We would have stopped him, we would've protected you. I would have slain him myself before he _ever _touched you."

Yami bit his lip, beginning to tremble under Leo's burning gaze and emotion-capped words.

Leo's voice lowered to whisper, laced with anger that bordered on fury, but was never aimed at Yami - but at himself. His own failure to protect his charge. "Why did you let him get so close to you?"

Yami opened his mouth to answer but words failed him. He had been very young, very scared and very, very aware of what Griffin could do…but he also _knew _Eclipse would have taken care of him. He would have indeed protected him, stopped Griffin, even killed him with his own golden swords before Griffin could have ever gotten to lay a hand on Yami the way he had done that night.

But…

"All the way up to that night," Leo went on. He pressed his free hand to his head, feeling the anxiety rising and becoming more and more upset as the words left his lips. "If you'd told me before, that night would never have happened; none of this would have happened. Even if you told me that Griffin had been there that night, that he'd assaulted you and murdered those six guards - I could have had him _executed_. No trial, no jury, nothing. He would have been dead by my swords and what happened now would never have come to pass."

He looked away, unable to face the young charge he had so failed as a Protector to. Those cerise eyes that looked at him with such respect and admiration was undeserving to him. The disgust at himself rose like a great tide, changing the feeling of hatred to self-hatred and profound regret instead - self-hate for not taking better care of this one sweet child five thousand years ago.

Leo's heart ached with a pain that wasn't his to bear.

Eclipse had known all along Griffin had been after Atem. He'd known that Griffin wanted him more then love had boundaries for - and yet he couldn't do a thing. For as long as Eclipse never saw, never gained evidence, and was never told that Griffin had ever touched Atem, _ever _caused him harm that would violate the pharaoh's laws…Griffin had been safe from his wrath and from his swords…

Leo stared at the floor, squeezing the golden hilt again, using all his willpower to stop from drawing the weapon altogether, wanting to kill an enemy that was already dead.

His voice lowered to a regretful whisper. "If only you'd told me…"

"I couldn't."

Leo forcibly looked up, dragging his hands away from his sword hilt with Yue's insistence. But he still couldn't help but look at Yami searchingly, looking for an answer deeper then the one he had already given.

"Why?" He whispered.

Leo stared at the other as Yami looked away without a response but he plunged on regardless, needing more then anything just to get these thoughts out of his head.

"I knew something happened that night, something you didn't tell us." He said, pushing his midnight-blue locks out of his eyes. "But I never thought, I never imagined…"

His heart sank into depression in misunderstanding and sudden sorrow.

"After that night, you were never the same."

Finally Yami glanced back. "I know."

"You were so different." Leo stated sadly, strangely distantly. Anger ebbing away to sadness. "You didn't smile anymore, not for the longest time. You didn't laugh, or play games, or annoy the guards, nothing… you were so… _different_. Wrong…"

Tears welled but didn't fall. Tears stemmed from a past loss. Eclipse's sadness spanned over millennia of losing the cousin he had watched grow up and protected with all his strength and all his love.

Yami's eyes darkened, unconsciously mirroring Leo's depression.

"How could I ever be the same?" Yami asked quietly. "He tried to rape me, he assaulted me, tried to kill me, kept me prisoner in my own bedchambers and held me captive in silence…alone…"

Leo looked away sharply, his blood burning once more with such intensity he had to physically hold himself back. It was true, it was all true. He hadn't been there, and he had never really known what happened that night until that moment.

He wasn't there the moment his charge needed him the most. And just knowing that cut Leo to shreds inside. The one night Atem was left alone was the one night Griffin chose to strike, and Eclipse had almost come to late…

"What happened afterwards Yami?" Tea asked suddenly

All eyes turned to her, including Yami's; he'd almost completely forgotten everyone else was still there and watching him, silently listening to the unfolding events with more horror then shock.

"Afterwards?" He repeated confusedly.

"In the morning I mean." Tea reiterated tentatively. "After Eclipse and Mahado saved you. Eclipse took you to the Temple under Shia's charge but what happened in the morning?"

"I don't know." Yami replied sighing deeply. "I didn't wake up until the following evening."

"God he really hit let rip on you." Joey said in disgust.

"He looked like someone had beaten him unconscious with a cricket bat." Leo said his voice strangely monotone.

"The bastard." Seto seethed, glaring at no one in particular.

Once more Yami reached up and touched the back of his head where he had been hit, imagining the bloody lump that had been there so long ago. Granted he'd managed to get knocked around quite a lot in the exploits of his long lifetime, but Griffin's attack was still way up there on the list of most vicious strikes he'd ever been subjected to.

"Solid gold bedposts." Yugi commented gently catching his lover's hand as he sought the non-existent wound. "Not the best idea in the bedroom huh?"

Yami smiled lightly, he always did when he saw such softness in his Hikari's eyes. "It's really not." He sighed. "I was out cold for a day and half and had a headache for a week. But I was glad nothing happened to me while I was asleep."

"No," Leo told him, with what sounded like forced softness. "Shia never left your side and there were guards surrounding you at all times just in case. Luna took care for you until you woke when the healer had done all she could."

Yami closed his eyes, remembering the moments when he had woken up and found himself far away from the nightmare of before.

"I remember," He said tenderly, almost to himself. "I woke up in the afternoon and I was lying on a bed in front of the Shrine in the Temple of Hathor. There were flowers and offerings to the gods all around me. For a moment I actually thought I was dead, then I saw Shia asleep beside me and Luna came in and I realised where I was."

"When we couldn't wake you even with the healer's aid, I laid you before the Shrine for the gods to heal you." Leo told him. "There was nothing else we could do."

Yami swallowed thickly, his lightening mood wavering suddenly.

It was Leo. There was something wrong; there had been all the way through this conversation. His voice didn't sound natural, it sounded forced. Like he was wrestling not to say what he really felt - or what Eclipse really felt.

And now Yami heard the telltale note in his voice all too well, Leo unable to fight it back any longer.

"We thought you were caught in the crossfire when the mercenaries attacked. Some of them made it past the gates, but we never knew it wasn't them…" Leo said hollowly. He wasn't looking at Yami, but something in his voice screamed that his soul was blazing with fury once more. "I didn't even know he was in the palace that night."

Yami stared at him. "Griffin could sneak in and out like a ghost."

Silence fell.

Everyone was staring at Leo and Yami now. The atmosphere was thick with unvoiced words it was impossible for them to miss what was happening.

Or notice even more glaringly that Leo was still in his magical robes.

And that only meant one thing - he couldn't let go.

"You need to cool off Leo." Seto ordered abruptly. "Get a grip on yourself."

Something changed in the air.

A change that even silenced Seto.

Then Eclipse's voice broke through.

"I can't."

* * *

Note – okay, just like before go straight to the next page, there was too much text to fit it into one update. So continue… 


	45. Scars 2

Chapter 44 Contid. - Scars

"I can't."

The words were soft, but there was something that offered a hard edge, something that couldn't be pinpointed but was still right there, embedded in his deep voice.

Slowly Leo looked up and cast his gaze onto his former cousin. "These emotions are not mine to silence."

Yami gasped sharply.

Leo's eyes glistened azure blue in the sunlight, but they weren't his eyes; they were Eclipse's. there was no doubt about it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Leo asked fervently, anger abruptly surging through his spirit.

The words spilled out, he couldn't stop them now, words that had been dying to get out since the truth had been revealed. The potency of Eclipse's hate, his anger; it was too much to bear, too much to even try to quell.

"I could have watched you better after the first time he cornered you. I could've watched you even more and seen him touch you, touch you just _once _and then I could've killed him. No trial, no mercy. He'd be dead and you'd be the same child you always were. He could have been out of your life before he even demanded your hand in marriage -"

"Please don't do this Eclipse."

Leo stopped abruptly, taken aback.

The pain in Yami's eyes was unprecedented, spilling like poison through his voice.

Leo pried his hands away from the hilt of his sword, forcing them through his hair and gripping it tightly. He looked away, unable to face his former charge any longer, the shame was too intense to endure. More and more thoughts screamed through his mind, scarring emotions tortured his heart - all demanding attention at once.

"I am trying to understand, Yami, but I can't." He said shaking his head. "I need to understand. I can't deal with it; I can't cope knowing he touched you back then and he got away with it." Leo covered his face with his hands. "It's driving me insane just thinking about it. I need to know why you did this, blocking it out isn't enough. I wasn't there, but _he _was. Eclipse won't rest until he knows, until he understands."

"Leo -" Yue said warningly, gripping his arm again.

But the emotions wouldn't be quelled, not even by Yue.

"He chased you for weeks and you said nothing." Leo stated, once more summoning the will to stare at Yami, oblivious to all else. "He bought your hand in marriage and still you told no one what he was doing, how he watched you, cornered you, tormented you in your own home. You didn't even tell Shia, and you told him everything about yourself - you two _never _had any secrets. And nobody _knew_, no one knew what Griffin was doing to you and you never said a word…"

The words just kept on spilling out of him uncontrollably. Leo didn't sound like himself, it was like he was being torn apart inside all over again. It felt like five thousand years before, and there he was as Eclipse, knowing in his heart of hearts that this new bloodthirsty Prince had laid his eyes on the child-Prince Atem, but being so powerless to do anything without any evidence and Griffin's undivided protection from the old pharaoh himself, that it tore him up inside knowing something terrible was happening and unable to do a thing about it…

It was shredding his soul, slashing his spirit to ribbons just _knowing_; knowing that Griffin had been hurting his young charge and unable to punish the bastard for it. The sheer notion was brutally taking a sledgehammer to his heart that belonged to another time.

"And then that night," Leo whispered, pressing his hands to his head as his mind screamed more and more thoughts at him. "Griffin assaulted you, tried to rape you, kept you prisoner, and still you didn't tell me. Even after everything was over, when you awoke the next day, you didn't say a word against him. You _covered _for him. You _lied _to us."

"I had to." Yami said.

Leo looked up, anger at Griffin burning through his eyes, and there was only one question that seared through his soul now. "Why?"

Something about Yami crumbled and died away as he spoke his next words.

"Because his threat still stood." He said softly. "I couldn't do anything after that night or he would be back and he would be angry."

Leo faltered, visibly thrown out of sync.

The confusion spanned out to the rest of the group.

"You were scared he would really come back and kill you if you told?" Yugi asked behind him.

The sudden silence thickened.

Yami shook his head slowly, not taking his eyes off Leo. "No…"

"Then why?" His Hikari asked, still not understanding.

Yami stared at Leo, hearing the question but not even registering who was speaking. "I was scared he'd try and kill them."

Realisation slashed through the air. There was a part of the memory that still hadn't struck home yet for any of the friends, or Leo either.

And then there it was, clear as day, right in front of their faces in devastating clarity.

A terribly hollow feeling grew inside Leo as he started at his former cousin.

His voice lowered ominously. "Who?"

"The girls." Yami whispered. "Your girls."

Gasps surrounded him as they remembered back to what they had seen, what they hadn't yet realised was the most deciding thing that had happened that frightening night.

And Leo froze in place.

Yami watched him sadly.

"Katanya, Luna and Mana." He stated quietly, lovingly. "He knew. He knew about them, all of them. Griffin knew about your secret affairs and how much Mana meant to me. He told me that if I didn't cooperate, he'd torture and kill them - to punish me."

"Oh no…" Sakura murmured, pressing a hand to her mouth.

"God," Yugi whispered, his amethyst eyes wide with shock. "He knew, he knew about them and he used it against you."

Yami kept his gaze on Leo but unconsciously gripped Yugi's hands, lacing their fingers together in an unbreakable grip. "Griffin knew everything. He knew you were secretly seeing Luna, and he knew Shia snuck out every night to be with Katanya. It was all leverage for him, but Griffin had no idea."

Yami sat up straighter, kneeling up and moving closer to Leo, needing more then anything for him to understand why he'd done what he had.

"Griffin really had no idea; he didn't understand." He shook his head slowly, string into eyes that were revealing more and more every second that ticked by. "You were both really falling in love with those girls. You were so in love and so happy, I'd never seen you like that before. And just knowing what Griffin was like, when he threatened them if I didn't cooperate… I believed him." He closed his eyes briefly. "And I don't regret my decision."

More shocked gasps filled the room.

"You did understand what you were doing, right?" Bakura asked doubtfully. "He was about to screw the life out of you."

"And god knows what else." Joey added, stunned.

Yami nodded, cringing inwardly at the thought. "I knew. I knew all too well, but I didn't want them to die. Even if he didn't get very far, I let Griffin do what he wanted to me, as long as he spared them."

"Yami…" Leo murmured.

"I didn't want them to die, Eclipse." Yami explained tenderly, his eyes filling with loving tears. "I loved them like sisters and as selfish as it was, I didn't want you to blame me. I just couldn't bear it if Griffin hurt them and you hated me for it." He closed his eyes briefly. "I already knew you and Luna were together, same with Shia and Katanya. You were both so happy, happier then I'd ever seen you. And I could see that you guys were really falling in love with those girls."

"Yami…" Yugi murmured beside him.

Yami squeezed Yugi's hands tighter, not answering but needing make them all understand first. His voice darkened.

"But Griffin saw it too. He knew you were secretly seeing the girls, and he knew I cared about Mana too - so he used them against me. He used my family against me to get what he wanted. He threatened the girls without a second thought and he didn't even care. I was so scared he'd kill them and break your hearts and mine…and then you'd blame me."

Silence fell.

Silence so thick it was pressing in on Yami on all sides.

"'He will just despise you for killing the girl he loves'."

Yami looked up sharply as the same frightening words from that night accented the air once more.

Seto looked at Yami gravely. "That's what Griffin said to you in your bedchamber. He said it about both Eclipse and Shia."

Yami nodded. He felt better as Yugi released his hands and slipped them around his waist, but he wrapped his own arms around himself again, feeling inexplicably cold. "I was scared you'd both hate me if I fought for myself and he killed them to punish me. It seems so dense and trivial now, but at that moment, I couldn't bear it. I couldn't cope if you both hated me for what I'd done, and then I'd lost you all - my cousins and my sisters."

"Oh Yami…" Yugi murmured.

Yami tightened his arms around himself feeling ever more disgusted with himself each and every time the memory flooded back.

Yami swallowed thickly, suppressing the sobs that fought to get out and morn the innocence he had left behind. "I couldn't lose you, any of you - I couldn't live with myself. I cared about them too much; I loved having them in my life. So that night I let Griffin take advantage of me, to save them."

He stared at the floor as silence fell again. It was struggled silence, silence laden with words, words that were dying to be spoken.

"You were really going to do it…weren't you?" Yugi said quietly.

His lover turned slightly, glancing down into lovely amethyst eyes. "I had to."

"How could you?"

Yami blinked, startled. His gaze flickered to Yugi, then he realised it wasn't him who had uttered those words with such hurt and anger in his voice.

"How could you just give yourself up like that?" Seto demanded, his dark blue eyes blazing with fury.

Yami blinked again, taken aback. And Seto seized the opportunity to get even more angry.

"Seto -" Yami started anxiously.

"No!" Seto said unable to control his frustration. "He was going to _rape _you! And probably do even more sick and twisted things! Don't you understand how evil that is?! And you were going to _let _him do it!"

"It wasn't like that!" Yami exclaimed, anxiety instantly tingeing his voice. "You don't understand Seto - what you saw of him in the last few days was just a glimpse of what kind of monster he really is! You don't _know _him!" His eyes filled with desperation of make him understand. "He killed his entire kingdom, thousands of people dead - women and children and babies - he brought them war and watched them kill each other over _nothing_…"

Yami looked away, unable to face the horror of Griffin himself anymore. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the memories that haunted him. He was shaking again, trembling with fear and anger in an impossible mix, standing on the verge of another panic-attack. He wanted to make them understand - he had to show them what Griffin was really like even if it scared the life out of him.

He covered his face with his hands, unbelievably grateful to felt Yugi's arms still around him, dispelling the tremors that wreaked through his body.

"The stories that came out of Persia were horrendous." Yami whispered. "The things that happened there, the things that Griffin and his family caused, the carnage he let loose on his own people…they were beyond sick. If you heard them, if you saw them - you'd never sleep again. People actually witnessed the slaughter committed _suicide _to escape the memories that haunted them."

Yami looked up at Seto, seeing the look of revulsion mixed with shock now cast upon his handsome face.

"It wasn't just a civil war - it was _massacre_."

Seto stopped dead mid-rant - mostly because Yami was now looking at Bakura.

Without so much as a sneer, Bakura pulled Ryou closer and nodded without a doubt. "It's true. He really was an evil bastard. Even I couldn't sleep for days after hearing those stories. I wanted to kill him too after hearing what happened in Persia." He looked away in disgust. "The things he did…god, even the bastard murderers I knew wouldn't even stoop that low. That's sick even for them."

Yami ignored the shocked looks flying Bakura's way and found Leo staring at him once more.

"I knew Luna could hold her own against almost everyone," Yami told him quietly. "And even Mana and Katanya could escape a normal bad situation, but Griffin…" He shook his head. "There was no way they could possibly defend themselves against him. Hand to hand, Luna could, but he was smart and he was evil - there was no way they could escape from him, not even Luna. So I agreed. I couldn't let them suffer at his hands because of me."

Leo was silent, taking this in.

Yami could almost see his thought processes going on behind his azure eyes - and feel the chaos of emotions his former protector was currently going through. Anger, frustration, hurt, regret - it all merged randomly into one already severed soul.

He understood now; they all did. The memory made sense to them all in ways that made them ever more sickened at what had happened all that time ago.

The decision Yami had made…it was cruel yet so innocent. What Yami had been willing to give up for the ones he loved…it was _unthinkable_, especially to someone like Griffin.

Leo closed his eyes, finally feeling the past emotions of Eclipse dying down after such turmoil. The truth of it all hurt so badly, but now he knew what happened that night, it was like closure for a past heart that hadn't been able to rest until now.

"Eclipse?"

Leo glanced up seeing Yami looking at him in a mixture of hope and hesitance, almost desperate to know what the other was feeling after all he had told him.

He watched the younger teenager bite his lower lip anxiously, his hands unconsciously twisting the end of his jacket in apprehension.

There was a shimmer of azure blue.

And Leo's magical robes were once more replaced with his regular jeans and shirt.

"I understand." Leo said softly, seeing the relief that crossed Yami's face. "I understand what you did and why," He took a deep breath. "I hate that you had to do this, and nothing is ever going to change that, but I understand why you did now."

He looked at Yami sincerely.

"Thank you." Leo said. "Thank you for protecting them."

The relief was unprecedented. Yami had never felt so reassured in his whole life.

"Did he ever- I mean after that night -?" Yugi started behind him. He hesitated, unable to bring himself to finish the thought.

Yami glanced back at him, smiling softly in reassurance. "No he didn't tenshi. After that night, Griffin never got me again, not like he did that night."

"Did he give up?" Ryou asked doubtfully.

Yami shook his head. "No he didn't give up, he actually became more forceful. But I was being so careful now, I was so scared; scared to death he'd find me again and pick up where he left off."

"What did you do?" Sakura asked.

Yami looked at her, his gaze softening slightly. "I made a point not to go anywhere alone or even just with Shia. My father's law still stood, as long as anyone was around, Griffin still couldn't touch me until we were married. So I always kept someone with me, usually Shia and I made sure there were guards that could see us at all times. Shia knew I was lying about what had happened that night, even though I never told him the truth, and from then on, he stuck to me like glue and he never once pushed me to tell him why I was so scared or questioned why I was so paranoid about the guards or needing to be around our Protectors as much as we could." He smiled. "Shia was so great to me. Eclipse and Mahado were still around even more then usual, but Shia went with me _everywhere_. He even wrote a threatening note about me to my father to get him to post more guards around the Palace."

Leo frowned, casting his mind back. "I remember that, the pharaoh was really worried - Shia sent that note?"

Yami nodded. "I worked though, my father posted dozens of guards around my bedchamber and the Palace even if I never did stay in my room ever again. Not after what I saw." He sighed deeply. "I never went back to that room, I always stayed with Shia after that but even then I couldn't sleep, not while Griffin was still around. I still didn't feel safe my own home. I couldn't close my eyes without scaring myself half to death wondering if Griffin was going to be there if I opened them again. The only place I really felt safe…was the Temple of Hathor."

"The temple?" Yugi repeated in surprise.

"Why the temple?" Bakura asked derisively. "That damn place is even more open then the street, _anyone _can get in there. It's bloody _temple _- OW!"

"Keep the blasphemy to a minimum will you?" Seto hissed, glaring at the former thief as he folded his arms again. "There was just a goddess here."

"Whatever High Priest. Like I could really give a damn."

"Go on Yami." Tea prompted, ignoring the boys. "Why the temple?"

Yami closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep cleansing breath. He suddenly felt better, more calm then he had done in what seemed like hours…and there was only one reason why he suddenly felt this way.

"We snuck out every night to stay in the temple because…"

Yami opened his eyes and let his gaze drift to only one person.

"Because she was there."

All eyes focused where Yami's were trained.

Yue looked back serenely. "Luna."

Yami nodded, smiling lightly as he gazed upon him. "Luna."

He tilted his head to one side, almost studying the moon guardian, and suddenly realised just how alike him and Luna were. the way they looked, the way they acted, the way they could both beat their respective partners no matter what - it was almost a perfect mirror, save for the different lives they've led.

"There was something about Luna; everyone had felt it the day we first met her." Yami explained, his voice softening. "She was always so strong, so amazing - I guess that's why Eclipse was so drawn to her in the first place. She was unlike anyone any of us had ever met before. I used to think that if she wasn't the High Priestess, she could have done Eclipse's job so easily."

"My job?" Leo repeated, taken aback.

Yami smiled. "There was something about her, something I'd never seen in anyone, much less a woman. There was something about her that made her…"

Yami paused, trying to think of the right words to explain what he meant - then he realised there was only one way to describe her.

"…something that made her like Eclipse."

Yami smiled at the surprise on his friends' faces and almost laughed at the shock on both Leo and Yue's.

"When I with Luna, I felt safe." He continued. "I felt safe the way I did when I was with Eclipse. Like I knew she could protect me from Griffin as much as Eclipse could. So every night, me and Shia would sneak out of his bedchamber, out of the Palace and into the Temple - we'd stay with her and the children, and I knew we'd be safe from him through the night."

There was quiet as the group took this in, but both Yue and Leo still looked as confused as ever.

"What do you mean Yami?" Yue asked curiously. "How do you mean I was strong?"

"Luna was the High Priestess." Yami told him with another smile. "But she was anything but _just _a High Priestess. She was formidable and confident and could face down even the captains of the armies - all without ever raising her voice. And she was a master swordswoman of the highest class."

"Really?" Sakura asked, surprised. "I thought girls didn't learn swordsmanship back then - and Luna was a Priestess too. Didn't they have even less right to do that?"

Yami nodded. "It was rare to find a girl that could fight then, a Priestess no less, but Luna was different, and for some reason no one ever questioned her. She could fight and had a presence that was even more formidable then Eclipse's. She even gave Eclipse the ass-kicking of a lifetime in a swordfight once."

"Seriously?" Krysta asked, giggling.

"I'd have loved to see that." Tea added, laughing.

"Wow, can't imagine Eclipse losing a swordfight - to a chick no less." Joey added smiling.

Leo smiled, trying to hide his blush as Yue laughed softly at the comments. "Yeah that is kinda true." He shot Yami a mild glare. "Although those duels were committed in secret. You really should've stopped spying on us."

"I wasn't spying." Yami said defensively. "I just happened to see you fighting sometimes late at night when I snuck into the Temple. No one else knew, even Shia didn't."

"Yeah, he would've lorded that over me for _years_."

"She beat you on more then one occasion, come to think if it." Yami added. He frowned slightly, thinking back. "Actually, it was quite few times."

"_Okay _Yami."

"I don't know why you kept challenging her really. I don't think Eclipse ever won a duel against Luna." Yami glanced at Yue, now smiling lightly at Leo's blush. "Things haven't seem to change in that department."

"Now that is true." Grandpa agreed with a smile.

"He does have a point." Leo sighed, looking at Yue.

"That he does." His boyfriend agreed.

Yami smiled softly, still looking at Yue. "It took a hell of a lot to phase Luna, and it was because of that Griffin couldn't stand to be around her."

"Really?" Ryou asked curiously, glancing at the moon guardian. "Griffin didn't like her? Why?"

"I used to think it was because she was so much like Eclipse." Yami said thoughtfully. "And even though she knew what Griffin had done to Persia and knew all the stories of just how dangerous he was, she still wasn't scared of him. Whenever they crossed paths, she could stare him down, and it rattled him just because he didn't see fear in her eyes like everyone else that looked upon him. She just faced him the same way that Eclipse did - no fear and no respect."

"So that freaked Griffin out?" Grandpa asked curiously.

Yami nodded. "That's why he avoided confrontations with her as much as he avoided them with Eclipse - it was like he knew he wouldn't win against her so he never provoked her anymore then he dared. And that was why I felt so safe with her just like I felt with Eclipse, so I made it a point to stick to her as much as I could when Eclipse wasn't around."

"And Griffin never tried to get to you while you were with Luna?" Yugi asked.

"No he didn't. He knew he couldn't win against her, he must have seen her fight at some point. And since he knew about her and Eclipse's affair, I'm guessing he also knew he'd have to deal with Eclipse too if he challenged her directly." Yami smiled lightly, looking at Yue and Leo sitting together. "It seems pretty much the same now."

Sakura sat back in sudden realisation. "Oh, so that's why Griffin threatened to hurt her without her knowledge. All the stuff about poison and setting fire to the Temple were ways of hurting her without having to face her."

Yami nodded. "Griffin could directly hurt Mana or Katanya, but he'd have to take the other options to get to Luna - and I still couldn't take that chance. I even watched the Temple itself while I was with Luna just to make sure Griffin hadn't done anything that could hurt her or anyone else."

"So Griffin never got you again after all that?" Seto asked, the relief clear in his voice.

"Did he give up?" Mokuba asked, just as relieved.

Yami leaned back into Yugi's embrace., his easing mood dousing once more. "No, he didn't give up. As hard as I was trying to avoid him, he was trying to get to me, but now I was always with someone. I'd become so careful, so paranoid, he couldn't get near me and that made him even more furious to the point where he couldn't stand it."

"God, that sounds so dangerous." Grandpa murmured.

"You have no idea." Yami sighed. "He losing patience with me fast, but my father's law still stood and as long as I was never alone, as long as I stayed with my protectors, Shia, Luna or my guards I was safe."

Yami paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered back.

"He did get you, didn't he?"

He opened his eyes again to find Yugi looking into his.

"Sorry," Yugi said blushing. "I read your aura."

Yami grasped his hand, his gaze softening on the other. "It's not what you think."

He watched his Light's expression change to one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"He did get to me, but I was extremely lucky. We both were."

Yugi blinked, taken aback. "Both?"

"What happened?" Yue asked.

"The only time he got to me again after that night was a few days later." Yami began. "I'd been running away from Griffin all day and finally got some peace in the games room in East Wing of the Palace. I was safe because Shia and me were together and Mahado was on guard at the door, watching us play, and there were even more guards in the hallway. For the first time all day I felt safe enough to play games with Shia." Yami drew in a deep breath. "I was so distracted with the game and didn't see Mahado leave."

"Mahado left you?" Leo asked sharply.

Yami shook his head quickly. "No, not that like that. He was literally outside, talking to another guard who had summoned him. He was barely ten feet away from the doorway and it was wide open, we could still hear his voice. And that door was the only entrance, all the windows were sealed - and still, Griffin found a way in."

"He got to you again?!" Seto almost shouted.

Yami nodded gravely. "I suddenly felt so cold and then I turned around and he was right in front of me."

"Oh my god…" Krysta murmured. "What happened?"

"He was so mad," Yami told them, biting on his lower lip. "I'd been hiding from him all night and all day and he was so angry with me - he didn't even care Shia was still in the room."

"But Shia could give him away." Sakura stated, her green eyes wide.

"He was that furious, he didn't care."

"What did he do?" Seto demanded, getting angry at Griffin all over again.

"I was instantly freaked out, so I jumped back and ran to the other side of the room, dragging Shia with me." Yami said softly. "I was so scared I couldn't even find my voice and call Mahado, and he was right outside the room. But Griffin followed me and took out his sword before us. He looked so murderous, I really thought he was going to kill us." He shook his head, forcing the frightening image away. "He towered over us and kept us quiet because of the sword, but he was so angry that I'd been hiding from him, he lashed out the back of his fist, not caring about anything but wanting to punish me for running away."

"He hit you?" Yue asked gently.

Yami shook his head forlornly. "No…Shia was trying to protect me."

Striking blue eyes widened.

"He hit Shia." Leo whispered in realisation.

Yami nodded.

He saw something glisten in the other's eyes, instantly knowing what it was.

"What day was that?" Leo asked softly, staring at the other.

"It was the day of the Reckoning Ceremony." Yami replied, already knowing what he was going to say next.

Leo's azure eyes widened, matching the incident to the date. "The bruise on Shia's face…"

Yami nodded. "He pulled me out of the way and took the strike."

"My god…" The image of the ugly bruise on his former younger brother's cheek flashed through Leo's mind. "That bruise was so severe, both the healer and Luna were called for him - that bastard hit him that hard?!"

"He didn't mean to." Yami told him. "Griffin was aiming for me."

"What, like purple bruises hard or blue?" Joey asked anxiously.

Leo shook his head. "No, _black _bruises hard. Muscular bruising right to the bone when all the blood vessels break under the skin making the bruise turn black. Like when you almost break bones but are lucky enough to escape it and just get the bloody painful bruising instead."

"Geez - he hit him that hard?" Joey said in disgust.

"Wait a minute," Seto said suddenly. He frowned, trying to work something out. "If Griffin hit Shia that hard and the kid was older then you were Yami…"

He trailed off, everyone already knowing the implication was just what Seto was getting at.

Yami nodded once more. "Shia wasn't just saving me from his wrath, he was shielding me from his strength." He looked around at his friends seeing the shock in their expressions. "I was even younger then Shia and Griffin was whole lot bigger and a lot stronger then me. If Shia hadn't taken the hit, Griffin would've broken my jaw and smashed my face with that strike."

Quiet fell again.

"God he was going to hit you that hard just for not seeing you all day?" Krysta murmured shaking her head.

Leo glanced at Yami. "Shia told me he -"

" - he fell while we were playing." Yami finished. "I know; he lied. He couldn't tell you what really happened."

"Why not?" Leo demanded.

"Because I begged him not to."

Something clicked in Krysta's mind. "You were still worried about the girls weren't you?" She reasoned. "If you let Shia tell Eclipse what Griffin had tried, Eclipse would go after him and Griffin would instantly go to us to punish you for making him deal with Eclipse. You didn't want to push him to carry out his threats."

"The worst kind of cause and effect isn't it?" Yami said ironically.

"What happened after he hit Shia?" Joey asked.

"Shia was injured and now metres away on the floor, stunned. So I was still at Griffin's mercy and I couldn't possibly hold him back, and he grabbed me again."

"Oh god, what did he do?" Tea asked, anxiously holding her hands to her mouth.

Yami smiled reassuringly, seeing her reaction. "Nothing. He didn't have a chance to do anything."

There was mass confusion.

"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked, having stayed quiet up until this point, taking everything in like he was listening to some chilling horror story.

Yami shook his head, trying to fathom something that had happened so long ago. "It was Luna. She just showed up out of nowhere and gave Griffin the best, damn hard, back-hand slap I'd ever seen in my life. He completely froze in shock."

"Luna slapped Griffin?!" All the girls exclaimed in unison.

"Like you would not believe." Yami said with a smile. "And he instantly backed off."

"Luna slapped him and he backed off?" Bakura asked sceptically, raising an eyebrow.

Yami tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "Well, that coupled with the fact that Luna was holding two very sharp swords in two very hazardous places - all within a split-second of slapping him."

Sakura frowned, confused. "Hazardous places?"

"Oh you mean like _downstairs_?" Joey reiterated.

Yami nodded. "Yep, one very sharp sword there and one sword held to his throat."

"Ah," Krysta said, blushing as she caught on. "Very hazardous places for a guy."

Yami frowned suddenly, remembering the scene clearly in his head. "Come to think of it, those swords were gold, they were golden swords, really beautiful ones too…hang on…" He looked up at Leo, his crimson eyes widening. "They were your twin swords that Luna was holding."

Leo shrugged. "Probably."

Yami stared at him in stunned disbelief.

"But you never let _anyone _touch your swords on pain of an excruciating death."

"Luna wasn't just anyone." Leo smiled, glancing at Yue.

Yami smiled. "I guess so."

"And she'd probably kick my ass again if I said no."

"That I would." Yue said with a chuckle.

"Then what happened?" Tea asked.

"It was amazing." Yami said, exhaling in disbelief. "She didn't even raise her voice, but she was obviously furious with what he'd accidentally done to Shia when he'd been aiming for me. She just reminded him of his vow once more, that he was not to touch me, and then she ordered him to leave and warned him away from us or he'd have to deal with her. And Griffin just slunk away, looking so haunted that Luna didn't even show one shred of fear."

"Wow, talk about fearless." Mokuba murmured in admiration.

"I know." Yami agreed. "She was so amazing. When Griffin had gone, we helped Shia up and I asked him not to say a word about what had happened and then she called back Mahado into the room."

"Didn't he see the bruises on Shia?" Yue asked.

"He did but we covered saying that he fell while we were playing, and Luna didn't dispute us…actually she didn't say anything. Then she took us and Mahado back to the Temple and saw to Shia's bruise."

Joey frowned. "Did Luna know what Griffin was trying to do? Did she ask you?"

Yami sighed. "I think she did because Griffin really didn't make a secret of what he wanted and Eclipse probably told her, but I'm not sure if she knew what Griffin was really stalking me. I think she only knew I was scared of him and that was enough. She never did confront me as to what really happened between me and Griffin after she rescued us."

"Wait a minute, Shia was a Prince too right? And Griffin just physically hurt him," Seto interjected. "Why didn't Luna just tell the guards and had him killed right then and here?"

Leo shook his head. "Griffin had the right to demand a trial if he was accused of hurting Shia on the grounds that he was another of royal blood and a noble in the Pharaoh's Court. Then he'd be kept in the dungeons which would never hold him anyway."

"Then he'd either bribe or murder his way out in minutes and then he'd be majorly pissed off at Luna as well as us." Yami finished.

"That's other thing." Seto said. "If Griffin hadn't been able to get to you since that night, wouldn't he already be pissed off enough to go and kill the girls to punish you?"

"That's not a scary thought." Ryou murmured, curling up in Bakura's embrace.

Yami shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. Maybe he just didn't have time. I was making it as hard as I could for him to get to me and yet I knew he was always there. I always saw him watching me from afar, waiting for me to make a mistake and get left alone."

"He was probably just to busy trying to catch you out to go and hurt one of the girls." Joey speculated. "He must've been watching you all the time."

Yami visibly shivered at the thought. "He was just waiting for me to mess up."

"Did he come back after he tried to attack you?" Krysta asked tentatively. "It's hard to imagine Griffin being humiliated like that and then giving up."

"He didn't come back that night." Leo answered. "We were together in the Temple for the rest of the night. When I returned from guard duty, everyone was in the Temple tending to Shia and we ended up staying there."

"What about after that day?" Krysta pressed anxiously. "Did he really give up?"

Yami closed his eyes briefly. He took a deep breath, finally feeling the tension inside him lessening as the story's end neared. When he opened his eyes again, he looked into the anxious ones of all his friends around him, all hoping for relief but expecting the worst.

"No, he didn't give up." He smiled reassuringly. "But he never got a chance to touch me again."

There was a collective sigh of relief.

"What do you mean?" Grandpa asked.

"My father died a few days later, about a week after the night Griffin attacked me." Yami explained. "After what happened in the games room. Luna kept me and Shia in the Temple and ordered all duties that me and Shia had to perform cancelled. She told my father and the other nobles that it was a special ceremony to bless us or something so she practically ordered us to stay in the Temple of Hathor. And since we were staying there, that meant Mahado and Eclipse had to stay with us as well to keep an eye on us. Luna even ordered Katanya and Mana to stay as well, saying they were to be needed and weren't allowed out of the Temple."

Yami paused, frowning thoughtfully.

"It was actually really weird. She said she wanted Mana to stay because she was our friend and we'd get too bored in the Temple on our own even with all her children there, and she needed Katanya to help her with the offerings to the gods and all the other duties she did." He shook his head, in misunderstanding. "It was like she knew they were in danger as much as I was after she humiliated Griffin like that."

"She knew about them too?" Krysta asked in surprise.

"I don't know." Yami said frowning slightly. He glanced at Leo.

"I didn't know anything about targeting the girls." Leo replied, just as confused. "I knew Griffin had found out about Luna and me, but I didn't think he knew about Shia and Katanya, they were much more careful about their relationship because it was so frowned upon. Luna could hold her own against him and I would kill him anyway if he touched her, so it didn't matter if he knew about us, but I didn't know Griffin knew about Shia and Katanya too."

Yami sighed deeply. "Anyway Luna must've figured out Griffin would try to hurt Katanya and made her stay too. I guess after seeing what Griffin had tried, Luna was much more aware of how close he could get to me without anyone knowing. Anyway, that didn't really matter, as High Priestess she was able to make anyone do anything in the name of the gods." He tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "Then again, both of you got to stay in the Temple all day with your secret girlfriends, so it's not like anyone complained about being under house arrest."

"So you stayed until your father died?" Yue asked gently.

"Yes." Yami answered. "In his final hours he was brought to Temple and placed on the alter for all the ceremonies for entering the afterlife and we were all there until he died. And Griffin never got the chance to get me again after that."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "But what does that have to - oh."

"You were made pharaoh when your father died." Seto supplied.

"The next day." Yami told them. "I was crowned the next day so that I could perform the last rites for my father before his burial."

"And since the old pharaoh died before the harvest, Griffin's pact broke and he was stripped all his wealth and his status." Leo added. "And then you ordered him hunted and killed on the grounds of his crimes in Persia."

Yami nodded and looked at his former protector. "Yes, but before that, Leo…do you remember the very first command I gave you, Mahado and all the guards as pharaoh?"

Yami watched the other frown in confusion, thinking back through memories that weren't his to find what was getting at. And then Yami saw light dawn in Leo's eyes.

The former pharaoh nodded.

"You ordered triple guard security around the Temple of Hathor, the entire grounds of the Palace and around Mana, Shia, Luna and you in the Great Hall. You even made the servants stay in the hall as well - including Katanya." Leo stated in realisation. "You made us carry out these orders before you sent us out on a manhunt for Griffin."

"Yes."

"You were protecting all of us before you sent out your protectors to get Griffin." Krysta stated.

"Even if I hadn't seen him in a few days, I knew he'd be incredibly mad at me, and even more so now our engagement was annulled and I was now pharaoh." Yami explained. "I had the power to finally get him for everything he'd done, and the power to allow Eclipse to wage war on him the way he'd been dying to since they'd first met. But first, I made sure everyone he could hurt to get to me was safe and together and we had a lot of sharp objects and guards around us in case he did show up."

"Well the Great Hall's walls are covered in weapons so no worries there." Leo remarked.

"Then when news came back that Mahado and Eclipse had cornered Griffin, but he'd killed himself rather then be killed; the Kingdom rejoiced. Even Persia was unbelievably happy. Those who could still breathe celebrated in the streets."

Shock was still circling the group, all taking in such an amazing and harrowing story. Quiet filled the gentle atmosphere of the room, it seemed to be a permanent feature now, but with good reason. With the sunlight spilling in through the huge windows of the living room so joyously, it was hard to believe the darkness of the events just what had been told.

The group had all thought they had known just how evil-corrupted Griffin had been, but after hearing everything that had happened between him and Yami up until his death five thousand years back - none of them really had any idea just how evil he really was before he harnessed the Black Magics and came back.

It was so hard to take in, and yet…it was now easier to understand why Atem had changed into Yami after all that had happened…

It made Yami more understood - and Griffin hated even more.

But to Yami, it felt like freedom itself.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Yami closed his eyes and drew Yugi into his arms. He suddenly felt so much better now everyone knew. It was like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he had the freedom to breathe again. There was no more fear, no more anxiety. Griffin was really gone. Forever.

And it felt even more exhilarating just to feel Yugi in his arms; exactly where his beautiful Hikari was always meant to be.

Yami opened his eyes sensing Yugi's gaze on his.

"You've done so many great things Yami." Yugi said softly, his amethyst eyes sparkling beautifully. "But none of if compares to protecting your friends."

Yami smiled at his Light and cuddled him tightly, suddenly feeling better then he had done in what felt like years, and now unbelievably grateful to the gods for giving him back the boyfriend he had come to love more then the world; all because he made it a better place.

Just by being Yugi.

When Yami opened his eyes again, he didn't open them to shocked and disgusted silence over what he had just told them - he opened them to smiles, giggles and 'awws' all flying his and Yugi's way.

Now this was more like the circle of friends he knew and loved.

"Thanks for taking care of us Yami." Krysta said with a smile.

"Thank you so much." Yue added, happily leaning into Leo's embrace.

Yami smiled as more giggles and 'awws' filled the air and looked at the three of them warmly.

"I had to, I really cared about all of you." He told them. "And I just couldn't bear to see any of you parted." He sighed, smiling lightly as he cast his gaze around his friends. "You should have seen them guys. Eclipse and Shia were so in love, I'd never seen them so happy before." He laughed, feeling so much more like himself the more he thought about his past family - especially one in particular. "Shia had never been in love before he met Katanya. He was so good looking and such a charmer, he forever had all the girls; he attracted them like butterflies to honey. Every one of the maidens just fell in love with him so easily."

Yami shook his head, laughing to himself as he thought back to happier memories of his beloved cousin.

"But all Shia's charm went out the window the day he met Katanya. When she was around he turned into the biggest klutz you'd ever seen in your life."

"Really?" Krysta asked softly, her amber eyes sparkling as the laughter heightened around her.

Yami smiled. "Oh yeah. He'd drop things, fall over more things, or walk into walls - all whenever he'd see you. He couldn't stop himself staring. And the moment you cast your eyes on him, he'd turn to complete jelly. It was so cute."

"Awww," Sakura cooed.

"Yuk, don't make me sick."

"Yeah like you don't get all get cute and sweet with me Bakura." Ryou shot back. "Don't even try and deny it."

The group stifled giggles as Bakura grudgingly gave into a blush and sulkily turned away.

"That's so adorable though." Tea said clasping her hands to her heart and ignoring the boys. "Shia liked her that much he lost all his charm around her?"

"Every little bit." Yami glanced at Krysta, watching her smile at the words. "Once, you were in the Great Hall with the other servant girls. You were setting the table for a banquet for the nobles that evening, and the two of us had just come in to see what was going on, and then he saw you and he couldn't stop staring. Then you sensed him and you turned around and when your gazes met, you smiled at him - and he walked straight into a pillar."

Laughter burst out from the group.

"You're kidding." Joey stated grinning.

"Nope," Yami said smiling. "It was a big enough pillar that hasn't moved from that spot since we were born - you would've thought he knew it was there. But no, he walked right into it. It was so hilarious. There's Shia on the floor pressing a hand to his head about to curse to the world - then he hears Katanya laughing at him."

"Then what happened?" Krysta asked, biting on her lower lip in excitement.

"He fell in love with you even more. He was blushing like crazy as he picked himself up and he still couldn't look away from you until one of the other servants took you away to get more food. He was daydreaming about you for the rest of the evening."

"That's so sweet." Yugi said.

Yami laughed. "It really was."

"What happened to all his other admirers after this all happened?" Ryou asked curiously.

"They spent all their time crying their hearts out when Shia stopped paying attention to them." Leo said, sighing resignedly. "He didn't even realise just how many admirers he had until they all came begging me to tell them Shia really hasn't been snared by another girl because he hadn't been paying attention to their advances anymore."

"So he was just playing with them and they were just trying to bed him all the time?" Joey asked.

"Pretty much, yeah." Yami agreed. "I swear the schemes some of the girls came up with to win his affections were vicious, they'd even stab each other in the back to get what they wanted. But that's the noble's daughters for you - they were as conniving as their parents."

"Look," Leo told them sincerely. "As much of charmer Shia used to be, he wasn't what you think. He didn't make the maidens fall for him, they did that by themselves. He was just nice to them and liked the attention. If anything, they all flirted with him - each and every one of them trying to win his heart. Shia just reciprocated but never gave what they _really _wanted."

Yami nodded in agreement. He sighed, thinking about his cousin. "Shia always had the girls, but they never had him. They would all fall in love with him so easily, but he'd never requite them, never give them more then a smile or a kiss on the cheek and charm them like you wouldn't believe - and then there was her. Shia was so in love with her I'd never seen him happier in all the time I'd known him. One smile from Katanya and he was happy all day."

Yami could feel the gazes on him, all getting more and more blissful the more he spoke. He knew he was feeing better and better the more he talked about his family and the happier times in his former life, but now the others could see it too - and they loved the reaction as much as they were loving hearing the stories.

"What about Eclipse?" Yue asked curiously. "What's his story?"

Now that made Yami laugh.

"Eclipse - god, everyone thought he was a lost cause." Yami continued, glancing over at Leo. "I mean, he was twenty-five, great looking and fit and gorgeous - looking exactly like Leo is now; but he was such a workaholic, me and Shia didn't even think Eclipse knew what a girl _was_."

Yami smiled, as Yugi laughed in his embrace.

"Wow, you still work too much no matter what life you've led." Yugi commented.

"You didn't have any girlfriend?" Yue asked in surprise.

"Well it's not like I had time while I was chasing after those two, did I?" Leo shot back good-naturedly. He threw a glare over at Yami. "Taking care of the two of you was full-time job, not to mention I was Commander of the Armies _and _the pharaoh's senior guardian. I barely had time for _sleep _let alone girls."

"I guess that is a lot of work." Yugi commented. "No wonder you didn't have time."

Yami shrugged. "Either way, you'd still been alone as long as I could remember." His cerise eyes softened as he thought back. "And then there was that one night when _everything _changed. You went to the Temple of Hathor in search of salvation - and you met Luna."

Yue's heart jolted in happiness, sensing his boyfriend's gaze of him. He smiled as he turned, feeling Leo's fingers lightly gracing his cheek.

"I remember." Leo said softly.

Yue looked at him curiously. "What happened between us?"

The guardian blinked, startled as his lover suddenly frowned, not answering.

"Hang on." Leo said, casting his questioning gaze back at Yami. "How did you know how we met?"

"Oh," The other answered. "I saw you."

Leo stared at Yami sceptically. "How? It was the middle of the night and there was no one around - you should've been safe in your bedchambers."

Yami shrugged, smiling. "Yeah I know. Me and Shia snuck out of our rooms, we couldn't sleep. We'd already met the new High Priestess and all the children that she took in, so we were gonna go wake them up and play with them. That's when we saw you go in."

"How on earth did you do that?" Leo asked in amazement. "There's guards all the way to the Temple, not to mention all around the Palace."

"Shia has his ways - plus we knew all the secret passageways in the Palace, you know, all the ones you thought we didn't know about." Yami ignored his former cousin's scandalised expression and let his mind wader back to the past once more. "But that night…"

"What did happen?"

Yami blinked at the soft voice, then smiled when he realised who had spoken, and just how curious he sounded right then.

He smiled at Yue and then focused on Leo again. "It was so strange that night. You'd been gone for two days with my father in the north of the Kingdom, something was happening up there that no one would tell me, but when you came back…so seemed so different. so…upset."

Quiet fell all around him, all listening intently to the story, and Leo once more reliving what had happened to Eclipse that fateful night.

"We'd never seen you like that before." Yami went on, his voice softening as if trying to fathom just what his protector had been thinking at that very moment he had seen him enter the Temple. "You were always so strong, so unbreakable. And then we saw come into the Temple from we hid behind the pillars. We watched you walk through the doors, your robes were billowing out behind you, walking like you had nothing left to lose…" He closed his eyes, remembering the scene in perfect clarity, replying in his mind. "You looked so broken, so devoid of your spirit. And then we watched you walk to the Shrine and then you kneeled before the gods - and offered up your twin swords, searching for help to find salvation in your life…"

'_I cannot do this anymore…'_

Leo opened his eyes, remembering his own words, and found Yami looking at him.

"We had no idea your work took so much of toll on you."

Leo smiled ruefully. "Being Commander of the Armies does that to you. You end up surrounded by death and destruction and you start thinking life really isn't worth it if it is just a short prelude to nothing."

"We were going to run out and comfort you," Yami told him. He smiled. "But then Luna walked out from the silk veils. You didn't even see her there, but she saw us hiding and smiled at us. Then Luna stood before you and laid a hand on your head and she told you -"

"My life cannot end if my heart has not begun." Leo finished. He smiled. "I remember. She was trying to tell me something I hadn't realised yet."

"You haven't lived until you've loved." Yue said gently.

He laughed softly, looking at his boyfriend.

Leo blinked taken aback. It suddenly struck him just how alike Eclipse's memory of Luna was to Yue was now.

"After she said those words you looked at Luna the same way you're looking at Yue now." Yami finished.

"Like you loved her." Yugi sighed.

The two of them smiled as they watched Leo and Yue cuddle up together again. They were forever being cute when they were together, and now was no exception.

"It was love at first sight, wasn't it?" Sakura said, her big green eyes shining with excitement.

"We thought it was," Yami agreed. "But it took Eclipse a little longer to figure it out. He was seriously dense about that sort of thing."

"That sounds about right." Krysta said, laughing.

"Yeah, it took Leo ages to figure out he fancied Yue too." Sakura added, giggling. "Everyone else could see it a mile away."

Leo pouted as snickers circled the group. Defiantly, he crossed his arms over his chest, mildly glaring at the lot of them. Even at is own boyfriend - who was visibly trying not to burst out laughing too.

"Hey, you didn't realise it either Yue." Leo shot back.

"Sure I did." Yue smiled. "I knew I liked you, but I was still hung up on Clow Reed. That's the only reason I didn't do anything about it."

Leo's jaw dropped, utterly scandalised.

"See?" Krysta said. "You are really dense in this field."

Leo glared at his little sister. "Maybe, but back as Eclipse I never had time for girls in my line of work, so I'm excused."

"There's always time for girls." Mokuba put in, grinning.

"Not when you're trying to take care of two little princes that don't know the meaning of 'don't get into trouble' and won't give me a moment's rest." Leo replied.

"Then again, you did loosen up when you started secretly seeing Luna." Yami remarked.

"I'll bet." Joey said laughing.

"There is only so much fun you can have with swords and weapons, after all." Bakura added, grinning sleazily.

Seto smirked, his dark blue eyes glistening. "And here I thought the High Priestess was supposed to be celibate."

"That coming from you?" Leo replied over the laughter. His gaze narrowed accusingly on him. "You were in Yami's pants mere days after you started as High Priest."

"At least we weren't doing it on the alter in the Temple of Hathor." Yami shot back, smiling.

Leo stopped mid-retort. And instantly blushed like crazy.

Everyone burst out laughing, save for one sharp gasp.

"We didn't." Yue murmured, his feline eyes wide. He looked at his boyfriend in shock. "Did we?"

Leo hesitated, biting on his lower lip as he blushed even more. He looked at his lover as innocently as he could.

"I had a really long, exhausting, terrible, day," He said quickly. "I just wanted to see you."

"Oh…" Yue murmured, his porcelain white cheeks tinting in a pretty blush.

"Good grief." Tea said laughing.

"I really shouldn't be hearing this." Krysta said, covering her ears theatrically.

"Whoa," Yugi said giggling. "No wonder you loosened up."

"At least it made Hathor a very happy goddess." Yami added, laughing with his boyfriend.

As the group continued to laugh, Leo stared at Yami. "How the hell do you know about that? It was the middle of the night and no one was around!"

"I saw you. I couldn't sleep so I went to the temple to play with the children." Yami told him. "How did you think I found out about your affair?"

"We weren't doing anything anyway." Leo said quickly.

"Then why are you blushing so much?" Bakura smirked.

Leo glared icily at him. "I was just kissing her. And we just happened to be in front of the Shrine…and the alter table before the gods…"

Yugi glanced at his boyfriend. "Yami?"

His Dark smiled. "Yeah they were just kissing when I saw them. It actually looked very romantic in front of the Shrine like that. It was nice to see Eclipse being a bit more gentle that way. Most of the time I see you, you're training with the most deadly weapons available and kicking somebody's ass into the ground."

"There, see?" Leo said triumphantly. "I told you it was totally innocent. We were _just _kissing."

"Then again, I left pretty quickly." Yami said mysteriously. "There's no telling what you got up to on the alter after that."

Leo gave him a flash of a glare. Then, to Yami's and everyone's surprise, he smiled, forsaking embarrassment in an instant.

"Oh well," He said drawing Yue back into his arms. "I was in love with her and I married her so it really doesn't matter what we were getting up to."

Yue smiled in his arms. "I guess not." He glanced around them. "Besides, it's like all of you don't get up to the same sort of things too."

The moon guardian smiled as several of the group determinedly looked away, avoiding his playful gaze and several more pointedly cleared their throats.

"Nice one." Leo whispered.

Yue chuckled softly, slipping his arms around his boyfriend. Things were getting back to normal again.

Even Yami could see it.

Across the group, Yami sighed deeply, feeling Yugi's form against him, his rich, warm aura surrounding him like a big fluffy blanket. God, he had no idea how much he missed the sensation until that very moment.

"Me too." Yugi said.

Yami glanced down at him as he smiled back.

"Sorry, force of habit." His Hikari said sweetly.

As Yami held him close again, he let his gaze drift over the group all over again. He smiled lightly seeing the various couples, from the naturally perfect Yue and Leo to the instantly opposite Seto and Joey, and the generally odd relationship of Ryou and Bakura. As different as they all were, they were all still in love with each other. And that really was a beautiful thing.

Even seeing the girls and Mokuba happily clustered together and Grandpa dozing in the armchair was a sight he never wanted to give up for anything in the world.

It was hard to imagine just how close it had come to total destruction of everything he knew and this scene would never have happened again.

Yami would never be sitting here so naturally like this with Yugi back into his embrace either.

"Yami?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, the former pharaoh glanced down into amethyst eyes, once more loving that beautiful sight. He smiled seeing the look in Yugi's eyes; he knew his Light had already sensed what he was thinking and feeling, but Yugi didn't look worried, just compassionate. And Yami loved him for it.

"I'm alright." He told his boyfriend reassuringly.

"Maybe you guys should go get some rest." Krysta said gently. "Things were a bit rough today. And that's the understatement of the century."

"Yeah, go relax for a while." Joey agreed.

Yami nodded. "Alright, I feel a little tired now."

"Let's go." Yugi said.

The rest of the group watched the two of them stood up and hand-in-hand the headed out the room. Just before they left, the group caught one last look from Yugi as he glanced back at them.

Even if none of them had voiced it, they all new what Yugi had silently said; it was the same as they were all thinking.

Yami may have healed old wounds, and now felt better that everyone knew what had happened. But the scars that were left ran deep; deeper then probably even Yami knew. The true extent of the trauma he'd suffered was still yet to be seen. They just had to depend of Yugi to help him heal those scars too.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Seto asked quietly.

"As a couple they'll be fine." Yue answered.

"What about Yami?"

A struggled silence descended.

"The true damage is yet to be seen." Krysta said. She sighed deeply, looking at the doorway her friends had just exited. "It's going to take a while for Yami to get over everything."

"Yugi can help him." Joey said confidently. "It'll take time, but he will heal."

Seto smiled softly. "This is Yami we're talking about. Nothing holds him down."

There was a collective sigh followed by a moment of serenity.

"Did the last few days really happen?" Sakura asked softly, breaking the quiet.

Seto glanced at her. "It doesn't feel real, does it?"

Krysta shook her head slowly. "Looking at us now, it doesn't seem like so much bad stuff happened - and yet here we are; we're all safe, we're all fine, and so is the rest of the world."

There was another quiet moment.

"I know we can't forget what happened." Leo said. "But we can put the past behind us. Griffin is gone, Yami is better then he's been in a very long time, and we're all safe."

"We need to get back to normal." Tea stated.

"Easier said then done." Joey commented. "But we're defiantly gonna get there, right?"

Smiles broke out.

"Right."

Seto tilted his head to one side. "You know, I was just wondering what happened to Griffin's family. Did they escape Egypt when Yami ordered them hunted down?"

Leo shook his head. "Nope, they were all caught and sentenced to death on the grounds of crimes against humanity after what happened in Persia."

"That's good then."

"I remember that." Bakura commented idly. "Public execution. Now that was entertaining. It was like open theatre. Shame about that Prince though, he was _so _hot."

The former thief sighed, completely oblivious to the shocked stares currently trained on him.

"Griffin's older brother sure was a babe," Bakura went on. "Wish I got into his kilt a few more times before he was killed. Oh well." he grinned happily at his currently-stunned Hikari. "You are much better, my little Ryou."

Several of the circle of friends opened their mouths to say something - but none could find the right words. What on earth could you possibly say to that?

"Anyway," Ryou said, happily forgetting what his boyfriend had just said. It was pretty normal to ignore most of the odd things Bakura came out with, "What should we do now?"

There was a mass exchange of glances.

"Maybe you all should get some rest." Yue suggested. "Everyone's been through a lot today."

Joey sighed, shaking his head. "I am tired, but I don't feel like resting, not now. Do you?"

Yue glanced at Leo. "I don't either." His boyfriend agreed. "Even if I am exhausted."

"So what should we do?" Sakura asked as agreement circled the group.

"Switch the TV on." Bakura said.

Lacking any other idea, Sakura flicked the TV set on and flipped through the channels, keeping the volume down so not to wake Grandpa who was still happily dozing.

They watched in silence for a few minutes.

"Wow," Seto said tediously, already glaring again. "I didn't know daytime television was so crap."

"That's no surprise." Leo agreed with a sigh.

"How about a movie?" Mokuba suggested.

"Ooo let's watch a horror!" Bakura said excitedly.

The graveyard type of silence filled the living room.

"It was just a suggestion." Bakura said coldly, pouting.

"I could go for a romance." Sakura said.

"God, not a chick-flick." Joey complained. "Anything but that. What about an action movie?"

"Pass," Tea said holding up her hands. "I've had enough of action and tension today thank you."

"Mystery thriller?" Seto said.

"Too much brain power." Joey replied.

"Yeah that might be a problem for you, puppy."

Seto smiled as his boyfriend glared at him.

"How about something to lift the mood." Leo suggested eventually.

The friends exchanged glances.

"Comedy." They said in unison.

"Okay, now that's sorted." Yue said. "Which film?"

Again the group looked at each other, all with a completely different movie in mind.

Leo sighed resignedly hearing Yue chuckle gently, both of them already knowing just what this little fact could possibly mean.

"This is going to take a while."

"No kidding."

And the arguments began.

* * *

Note – I know I know I went on for absolutely ages, but I did tell you I was amazingly bored at times while I was away, so I just utilized the time to come up with fun stories of the past that I just wanted to include because I thought they were cute – so sue me for that.

Besides, since this is my fic, I move that I can do whatever the hell I want in it!

I hope you did like it though, I spent a very long time on it and I did really want to develop the character of Shia a bit more and show his relationship to Yami back then as well. (sigh…) its almost a shame he's not physically in this story…

Until next time, which I promise will be sooner then three months!

Luv Nefertari


	46. Healing

Note – Hello! I'm back! YAY! It's been so long but im finally back! Okay, first things first, sorry for how unbelivebly long it's been since I've updated – espically so close to the end. But u know how it is with uni and then when you really don't feel like writing you seriously CANT write…well is finally over! And I passed with flying colours! Now on to the Masters! Anyway, you'll be happy to know, the very last chapter is finally finished and there will be an epiloguie to go with it btu it's not quite ready yet so it'll be a few days yet and then Fatal Attraction is over!

Anyway, im sure I've bored the bhell out of you already so let's get on with it shall we?

Here's the next chapter – ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 46 - Healing

Yami smiled listening to the joyous arguments drifting up the stairs. The yelling was getting louder and louder and ever more heated as each and every one of the teenagers downstairs argued their point - totally ignoring the fact that no one seemed to be listening to each other anyway.

It was a wonderful sound.

"Yami?"

The former pharaoh sighed blissfully at the soft voice and glanced behind him. That vivid amethyst filled his whole world. Yami's heart melted in a way that, at one point, he didn't think it ever would again.

Yugi was smiling.

That sweet smile that just made the world the nicest place to be stuck in at that very moment.

Yugi gently took his lover's hand. "Come on,"

Yami allowed his boyfriend to tug him away from the staircase banister and lead them back towards Yugi's bedroom. And all the while he was unable to quell his smile. He couldn't take his gaze away from Yugi, admiring him as he rubbed his eyes sleepily with his free hand; a childish trait he had never lost.

All the little things Yami had forgotten over the last insane few days came rushing back to him so fast, he never realised just how much they made him love Yugi so much.

Then Yugi stopped so abruptly Yami almost walked into him.

"Yugi?" Yami said in surprise. "What is it?"

Yugi's hand hovered over the doorknob, unbelievably grateful he'd remembered just what the current state of his bedroom was like before he'd opened the door. Flashes of what he had tried to do only half an hour before careened through his mind.

The bloodstained sheets… that blissful photograph…the silver scissors…

He shuddered inwardly. It all felt like some horrible nightmare that happened a long time ago and to someone else entirely.

He closed his eyes, pushing the sickening thoughts to the deepest recesses of his mind and took his hand away from the doorknob. He couldn't even believe himself what he had tried to do. And after hearing everything that had transpired between Yami and Griffin, Yami really couldn't do with a scene like that right now - or know why the room way in such a state either…

"Um," Yugi looked up at the other, a soft blush tinting his cheeks, easily masking the haunted feeling. "I think we'd better use your room."

Yami frowned, fully aware of the sudden change. "Why?"

Before Yugi could reply, the unmistakable sound of someone dashing frantically up the stairs reached them.

Yugi already knew who it was without even needing to turn around. His very soul tingled with affection.

"Yugi!" Someone called. "Hang on a -"

Krysta stopped at the top of the stairs seeing the boys looking at her - one in confusion and one in amusement.

"Oh," She said, catching her breath and looking decidedly relieved.

"We're gonna use Yami's room." Yugi told her.

Krysta nodded, quickly clasping her hands behind her back in feigned nonchalance for Yami's sake. "Yes, right, um, good. Because of - you know."

Yugi nodded, a sweet chuckle issuing from his lips. And, with a last grateful look to Krysta, he grasped Yami's hand and led him away down the corridor.

"Yugi?" Yami said, still unaware of the problem, and totally confused.

"I'll explain later."

Shrugging it off but still glancing back out of curiosity, Yami glimpsed Krysta step into Yugi's bedroom, and, fortunately, saw nothing more.

Moments later, the teenagers were in Yami's bedroom.

As anyone would have guessed, it was almost an exact mirror of Yugi's room, save for all of Yugi's junk that had found its way into Yami's room and taken up residence.

Yugi had often wondered if his Dark had done this on purpose - or even noticed at all. But, nevertheless, Yami still didn't notice as he walked in.

Then the boys were lying on the bed together.

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, each searching for something they didn't know they were looking for.

After everything that had happened, just lying together like this seemed so alien, so strange. Days before, neither would've even acknowledged that they were lying face-to-face in a bed that they'd made love in more times then either could remember in the space of a month. Now, it seemed so … cold.

Yami watched Yugi bite his lower lip, staring into amethyst eyes that gave away all the feelings the Hikari was trying to disguise. As much as Yugi tried, he'd never been able to mask his emotions very well - he was pretty much an open book even when he was trying really hard not to be.

Yami's heart jolted painfully.

Something was wrong with this whole scene, something that was making it so cold and unfamiliar.

And then, Yami saw it.

There was a clear partition in the centre of the bed.

They weren't touching.

It was wrong.

Slowly, Yami reached out and tugged Yugi into his arms.

The change was unbelievable. The naturalness returned and the warmth flowed back, and finally they relaxed in each other's embrace. It was like an unspoken truce had been called and together, they'd jointly decided to let go to whatever had happened before and not let it taint the present.

Yugi cuddled Yami tightly, more and more at ease as the seconds passed and the bliss came running back after so long.

They smiled, both closing their eyes and staying that way in silence and thanking the world for this moment to be together once more - and let the past finally rest.

Unfortunately, there were still issues in the present.

Yugi opened his eyes.

"I know." Yami sighed before Yugi uttered a word.

His Light pushed himself up from where he'd been resting his head against Yami's chest. And his boyfriend just had to smile at the sweet little pout on Yugi's face.

"How did you know what was going to say?" Yugi asked.

Yami pushed himself up and leaned back against the headboard. "I can still read you." He said. "Plus everyone's been asking me the same thing too."

He watched his Hikari bit his lip again, and waited for the question to fall from his lips.

Yugi looked at him. "So…are you okay? Really?"

His Dark closed his eyes, visibly trying to talk himself into opening up - something Yami was notoriously difficult about. He was naturally secretive. It wasn't that he liked having secrets; it was just how he was.

Finally, Yami opened his eyes again, those vivid cerise orbs focused entirely on Yugi - and without a doubt in his conviction.

"I don't know."

Yugi bit his lip again, trying to decide the best way to carry on. This was obviously hard for Yami, especially after telling them about the most traumatising incident in his long life, but Yugi needed to make sure he was alright. His Dark couldn't go on hiding his secrets until they ate away at him until they burst out like the whole Griffin thing - it wasn't healthy nor was it productive.

"Yami…" Yugi started, unsure where he was going with this at all. "U-um…"

His lover smiled suddenly, instantly washing away the doubts that clouded Yugi's features.

Yami tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "You know, when I got all my memory back for the first time, I used to find it hard to look at you, Yugi."

His boyfriend blinked, taken aback. "Look at me? Why?"

Yami raised a hand to Yugi's face and gently brushed back the golden locks from his cheek, watching the other lean into his touch.

"Because I used to be like you, Yugi, more then you could ever imagine."

Yugi quietened, inexplicably touched.

"I looked at you - and I saw me. The me that I used to be." Yami said softly. "The side that ruled me."

"Yami…" Yugi murmured.

A chaotic mixture of happiness, regret and longing reigned through Yami's eyes, but it was the sadness that outstripped them all.

"It was so hard to look at you and see how much of a mere shadow of myself I'd become. I used to be so happy, so carefree, so glad to be alive…" Yami looked away. "And then everything changed, and that life was ripped away from me."

Yugi's heart sank listening to the sorrow-filled tone of Yami's voice.

A hand slipped under his chin, gently making his look up into loving scarlet eyes.

"But the feeling didn't last long." Yami said.

"What do you mean?" Yugi whispered.

"I mean, I got to be happy again - with you." His lover laughed softly. "Even after Griffin, after the wars and after the long nights alone in the Shadow Realm, I got to be happy again." Something changed in Yami's voice, making the blissful glint in his eyes falter. "It just used to make me feel so cold inside, just realising how much I'd changed from the person I used to be…you."

Yugi smiled and grasped Yami's hand in both his own.

"I am you."

His Dark nodded. "Yes, the half of me I used to love."

"Still love."

Yami blinked, suddenly thrown.

Yugi giggled, looking like a pixie. "You do love me right?"

Yami laughed softly. "Of course."

"Then what's the problem?"

Yugi laughed seeing his Dark open his mouth to reply, but no words that fitted the bill took up the space.

It didn't last long. Like a dark veil, Yami's features clouded over, those rare eyes falling away from his lover, unable to look at him as his own words struck him with the truth of it all.

"He changed me." Yami whispered. "He changed me into _this_."

Yugi sat up abruptly, his heart protesting harshly at being ripped away from Yami's arms, but Yugi had to look at him fully. The younger teenager gazed at the other for a long moment. He noted Yami's bereaved but confused look at his actions that slowly changed to one of haunted anxiety as Yugi stared.

Unaware to Yami, his Hikari regarded him for a long, silent moment, thinking deeply and searching even deeper.

It went on for another anxious moment.

"Yugi?" Yami said, a troubled tone infiltrating that deep but soft voice.

Finally, the Light took a deep breath, and delicately took Yami's hands in his own. He looked into worried cerise, his own amethyst filled with nothing but the simple truth that reigned so easily in a spirit so pure.

"Yami," Yugi said gently. "I want you to listen to me and listen to me carefully. I want you to remember every word."

His lover leaned forward apprehensively, seeing the sweetness in the other's eyes, yet fearing the weight of his following words.

"What is it?" Yami asked nervously.

Tightening his grasp on his lover's hands, Yugi gently lifted them to his lips, and laid a soft kiss upon Yami's knuckles.

He heard a soft gasp escape Yami as Yugi's eyes opened again, as much for the sweet action of love as for the glisten of adoration that shone through Yugi's eyes.

"_This _is who I fell in love with, Yami." He whispered. "You are the person I fell so hard for - nothing more and nothing less. I never knew you as Atem, I only ever knew you as Yami - and that's the one I love." Yugi shifted closer to Yami, sensing his emotions turning quickly to turmoil despite the soothing words. "Even if Griffin did change you, he never made you anything less then you truly are. And that's what made me fall in love with you."

Yugi laid released one of Yami's hands and lifted his own to lightly grace his boyfriend's cheek.

"Nothing anyone could do to change you could make me stop loving you for who you really are." Yugi smiled beautifully. "You're kind and you're smart and you're caring. You look for the good and the strength in people and try to make them see it too. This is why I love you, Yami. I want you to remember that."

Yami was lost for words. There were no words to even describe the swelling of love in his heart that flowed so warmly through him. It washed away all doubt, all uncertainty and all hatred for the person that he had become.

Yugi leaned closer, gently cupping Yami's cheek in a hand, their eyes and lips only inches away from each other.

"You may be a mere shadow of who you used to be, Yami, but you're _my _shadow, _my _Dark and _my _Yami."

There were no more words. Words just weren't enough.

His heart beating out pulse after pulse of bliss, Yami reached up and grasped Yugi's hands, pulling him close, never wanting to let him go.

And then they kissed…

And kissed…

And kissed.

A few minutes later, the boys stared at the ceiling again, lying side by side.

"What do we do now?" Yami asked.

Yugi smiled mischievously. "I can think of a few things."

There was silence.

Yugi lost his smile. "We are okay, right?"

There was another silence.

"Are you?" Yami said tentatively.

Yugi frowned. "What?"

"After everything…can we really go back to the way things were?"

"Yes."

Yami blinked in surprise. Turning his head, he looked into amethyst eyes already staring at him. He watched Yugi smile prettily.

"Griffin was from your past and he should've stayed there. He came between us, but he couldn't break us apart – then he got what was coming to him. Now it's over, and life goes on."

Yami studied him closely, expecting but not seeing even a ghost of a kink in Yugi's conviction.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

There wasn't even a shadow of a doubt.

"Yes."

Yami closed his eyes. "That's good."

They looked at the ceiling again.

"Yami?"

"Yes?"

"Why is there green ink splattered on the ceiling?"

"I'm not sure."

"Has it always been there?"

"I don't think so."

They lapsed into silence again.

"Was Bakura in here recently?"

Yami smiled. "Maybe, we can't watch him all the time."

"We've gotta find out how he keeps getting into the house."

Yami sighed happily, and gathered Yugi into his arms, loving the feel of his lithe body in his arms.

"Yami?" Came Yugi's slightly muffled voice.

"Yes?"

"Um, you know what happened that night…"

Yami blinked, thinking back. He automatically knew what Yugi was talking about, but something was different. The cold sensation that usually flooded him at the mention of it was no longer there. There was no tension, no fear, and no reason to block out the memory any longer. It was odd - but it was good.

"Yes." He replied.

Yami sensed the other's spirit leap, also sensing the former pharaoh's lack of dark fears at the mention.

"Um, well," Yugi hesitated, watching the other carefully for the first sign of damaged feelings. "Is, um, is that why…er…"

He trailed off, unable to fathom whether or not he was entering dangerous territory that could make Yami sad all over again.

Yami chuckled, recognising his boyfriend's unmistakable squirm that came out whenever he wanted to say something potentially hazardous to another's feelings.

"Why what?" Yami said encouragingly.

Yugi took a deep breath. "Is that why - you never let anyone touch you?"

"What do you mean?"

Yugi shifted on the bed uncomfortably, but plunged on.

"Well, when we met you didn't let anyone touch you without your permission, on pain of death. I mean, you never really said it to me or anything… but if I did touch you and you didn't see it coming - you used to jump out of your skin. It's okay now with our circle of friends but, you know…"

Yami raised an eyebrow. "That's very perceptive."

He almost laughed sensing the vexed spark course through Yugi's spirit.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yugi demanded.

"I was just impressed."

Finally, Yugi pushed himself up onto his elbow and looked down at Yami, wearing a glare that looked increasingly cute the more he did it.

"You know, I could take that as an insult." He said reproachfully.

"You could, but you won't." Yami countered.

"Says who?"

"Says me. Because you're right."

Now Yugi looked surprised. "I am?"

"Yeah. After that night I did find it hard to let anyone touch me." Yami explained. "As a prince then later as pharaoh it wasn't hard to avoid since people weren't supposed to anyway, but when Seto came along issues arose and I had to deal with it. It got easier with him - and then there was you."

Yugi faltered in surprise as those vivid eyes blazed onto his own.

"Me?"

"Uh huh."

"What did I do?"

Yami played with Yugi's fingers, interlacing them with his own and lightly trailing them along the centre of his chest. "I didn't mind when you touched me. It felt nice. Like little sparks. So I liked being around you more and more…and letting you touch me."

Yugi giggled, watching what the other was doing, and consequently exaggerating the movements in a much more suggestive manner. "For little sparks?"

"Well…" Yami breathed, loving the touch of his boyfriend on him. "Big sparks now."

Slowly, Yugi leaned down over Yami, drawing their lips closer and closer as his hand discreetly slipped under Yami's shirt altogether - quickly and deftly unhooking the buttons.

"How about we make some big sparks right now?" Yugi whispered.

Yami shivered as his boyfriend's balmy breath ghosted over his skin from scandalous cherry lips just begging to be caught and kissed. His eyes softened, looking into the sweet gaze of Yugi. He smiled, suddenly feeling a whole lot better then he had done in a long time.

In those wonderfully deep lilac eyes, he only saw love and devotion reflected back - something that few others had come this close to showing him. There was nothing but truth and sincerity and whole-hearted adoration in Yugi's entire spirit - and it all spilled through his eyes.

The true gateway to one's soul.

Yami closed his eyes.

And willingly - let Yugi touch him.

Yami felt a gentle hand draw apart his shirt, then soft hands graze over the warm skin they found there.

He drew in a deep breath as memories flooded back.

The night before their anniversary….making love through the midnight hour…

It had been wonderful. All anxieties, all stresses and all trace of Griffin had gone in an instant not to return for the entire night.

Just Yami and Yugi - the way it's always been and always meant to be.

He didn't realise how much he'd missed Yugi's touch, so warm and inviting, so caring. And with every moment of contact - the sparks grew and grew.

Hands changed to lips, gently laying butterfly kisses from Yami's naval and gradually travelling up, gaining more and more desire with each and ever inch. And with the kisses, Yami's heart rate accelerated, pulsing out beat after beat of love for his beautiful little Hikari.

Yugi's kisses drew higher and higher, achingly light and trailing over his collarbone and up to his neck…

Another memory.

"_My, my, aren't you a pretty little prince?" _

Yugi's heart jolted as Yami darted up, his eyes snapping open in sudden terror. Quickly, he caught the other's arm, cringing but keeping hold as Yami reflexively tried to pull away before he recognised his apparent captor.

"It's me," Yugi said, lovingly caressing his Dark's cheek.

His soul tore as Yami recognised him but still darted around the room, instantly checking and re-checking that it really was just Yugi in the room with him. Finally satisfied but by no means calm, Yami stopped.

Shivering inwardly, he lay back on the bed. The tension inside him was back with a vengeance and wouldn't be quelled quite so easily as with one healing touch of his lover.

He covered his eyes with a hand, to forcibly push away the frightening memories as much to hide away from Yugi's reaction. "I-I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Yugi said understandingly.

"No it's not."

Yami pulled his hand away and looked him. Yugi was just sitting there beside him looking so lovely and perfect - and even under the surface, there was nothing more then peace and support. Yugi was his shining light, and yet there Yami was - his messed up mind likening his lovely Yugi to the coldness of Griffin.

Yugi's heart wrenched again as his boyfriend looked away again, sensing the sudden shame that coursed through him.

He reached and grasped his Dark's hand. "Its natural Yami, I never expected anything more."

"I can't help it," Yami whispered. He shook his head, on the verge of tears. "He's there all the time. Waiting."

Something clicked in Yugi's mind.

Trauma such as this would never leave overnight, it couldn't. The stem was too deep, the scars too large to ignore - and even if they were small, ignoring them wouldn't make them go away either. Yami had tried that once with Griffin - and was left a hollow husk of his former self.

No, Yami needed healing above all else. Heal the wounds, heal the scars, heal the soul…

Yugi had an idea. And he decided to run with it. After all, trauma was trauma, but Yugi was by no means a normal teenage boy. Nor was Griffin a normal adversary…

"Yami,"

Yugi leaned closer, taking his lovers hands and gently laying them on the pillow above his head.

"Sorry," Yami said again.

"Don't be." Yugi shook his head and then smiled warmly at him. "Can I kiss you?"

Yami blinked, suddenly thrown. "You're asking my permission?"

"Yes."

"Oh, um…sure."

Harrowing memories flashed incoherently through Yami's mind. He steeled himself against the rush of nightmares as Yugi leaned closer to him.

His lover watched him do this.

And then shook his head.

"Don't." Yugi said simply.

Yami froze. "Don't what?"

"Don't hold it back."

Yami lay still, looking up at his boyfriend apprehensively. Yugi had obviously seen his reaction through his eyes - but what he was intending to do about it was inexplicably unclear.

This was odd of someone who was an open book most of the time.

Yugi leaned ever closer. Their lips were only inches away now. Yami's heart raced, longing to kiss him with a heated desire he didn't even know he was capable of. He fell into crystalline amethyst, drowning in the rich colour.

"I'm going to kiss you now." Yugi whispered.

Yami's eyes widened.

Above him, Yugi's reflected back with sparkling awakened magics.

"_Show me_." Yugi whispered.

Yami's confused reply was cut off before the words had even formed. In surprise and joy he felt the sensation of Yugi's lips against his own, warm, soft and sweet, but with passion heated by the fires of love denied for what seemed like forever.

His eyes closed, falling into the kiss with every atom in his entire existence. With every kiss the hunger grew, wanting more and more of what had been ripped away from him. Yami's arms reached up and locked around Yugi's body, pulling him as close as the passion rose. He'd missed this so much…longed for it in those dark hours…he wanted more and more. Yami could feel the body heat of the other radiating into him, their heartbeats pulsing out rapid but synchronised beats. Beating as one.

Everything they had been together rushed back in a great tide. But most of all…the harmony returned.

Then the memories broke out.

Green eyes, blazing through the darkness …deep, cold voice…

"_You are __mine __Prince Atem…" _

Yami froze, petrified.

There were arms around him, grasping him close. There was a body pressing down on his, hands sliding over his bare skin and lips capturing his own. His body trapped, his voice stolen…

The nightmares were _real_.

Darkness overwhelmed him, overpowered him. The evil…the coldness …the razor touch…

Yami's mind blurred in terror, instantly trying to pull away from the grasp. The little sense of rationality was gone in a split-second. He tried to flee, flee the darkness that frightened him, but the grip held fast, keeping them connected - keeping them embraced.

The fear rose, turning to panic, driving his mind insane, and his heart rate out of control.

"_Your body is __mine__…"_

And then, out of the darkness…he was pulled into the Light.

The darkness of his own memories lifted, the cold grip vanished. He was free.

Screams filled the air; inhuman screams, screams of the terror of someone who truly deserved it.

The terror that reigned so purely in Yami abruptly subsided.

He felt a hand holding his.

He looked down, searching for the source, but instead light filled his eyes. He found himself standing up, pure whiteness all around him. And far in the distance the darkness was retreating, getting smaller and smaller.

The darkness was running away from the light - dying under it's beauty, it's supremacy. Dying away forever.

The darkness; his fears; his nightmares…his memories…

Leaving.

Gone.

The light subsided.

The hand was still holding his. Yami squeezed it, already knowing who it was without looking. And the fear fell ever further away.

Yami turned.

And Yugi looked up at him.

The Hikari smiled, those big lilac eyes gazing up at him. Then, he held out his free hand before him.

Yami gasped, staring in the mixture of awe and admiration at what Yugi was holding.

Clasped gracefully in his hand was the Destiny Sword. Its diamond blade hummed with beautiful music, the ethereal notes swirling around them like a playful breeze. It glistened with millions of captured stars, the platinum filigree trailing from hilt to tip shimmering with pure White Magic.

Yami stared in awe.

"How -?" He started.

Yugi just shook his head serenely.

Quelled with curiosity, Yami followed his boyfriend's gaze as he glanced away, following it to the fleeing darkness, now a mere dot the size of a marble in the distance.

Yugi drew his arm back, lifting the Sword horizontally above his shoulder and raising it to eye level. He glanced down the razor edge, taking aim. Then, in one swift movement, let the blade fly, propelling it with the speed and precision of a master swordsman.

The Destiny Sword flew through the air with an unearthly resonance, slicing through the parting whiteness, and blazing after the darkness. Like a jet water poured into the heart of the fire.

The darkness screamed it's hatred, it's deceit, it's pleading lies.

But innocence knows no evil.

The Sword struck.

White light flared in the centre of the darkness, curling around the fleeing tendrils, engulfing the darkness.

Yami gasped, his free hand flying to his own heart. It was suddenly calmer, the rapid beating lessened. It was soothed. Stunned, he looked up again - only to find the darkness gone completely, leaving only the whiteness all around and the Sword gently flowing back on an insubstantial breeze.

Unsure what was happening, Yami turned to Yugi again. He watched in child-like fascination as Yugi held out a hand, catching the Destiny Sword elegantly once more.

Finally, Yugi looked back at Yami.

"Are you afraid?"

Yami stared in utter amazement. "No." He whispered, shaking his head.

"Were you before?"

"No."

The answer came easily. Easier then even Yami realised.

"The darkness was here." Yugi said. "_He _was here."

Yami froze in realisation.

He'd known that. He'd known it was Griffin's scream he'd heard, it was the darkness of his nightmares and memories that had been frightened back. And he had been _terrified_.

So what happened?

Yugi squeezed his hand.

Yami glanced back.

Through the whole while, their hands had never broken and their bond never faltered. Even when the darkness had pulled him in, Yugi had pulled him _back_. Yami had known it was Yugi before he looked, and still, the fear had left him long before Yugi had destroyed the darkness.

Yami stared in wonder. "What are you doing?"

Yugi smiled prettily. "I'm fighting him."

"How?"

"He scares you and I scare him" Yugi said. "So when he scares you - I scare him away."

Yami opened his eyes. He found himself back in his own bedroom with Yugi looking down at him. Everything was exactly as it had been before.

He lay still for a moment, wondering what had just happened and looked up at Yugi questioningly.

The questions stayed unvoiced.

Yugi was kissing him again.

Instantly Yami's eyes fell closed, sinking into the kiss as his heart overruled his mind for some much needed love. Deeper and stronger the kissing became, and once more, arms locked around each other, Yami's heart breaking through for the one he loved the most.

"_You have prettiest eyes Yami…like…rubies…" _

Griffin's hands ran over his body, those green eyes blazing as he towered over Yami, laughing cruelly at his struggles.

Yami's soul burned with fear, a terrified scream gathering in his throat.

It never came. It didn't have too.

The Destiny Sword blazed overhead. Before his eyes, Griffin was sliced in two, an unmistakable resonance filling the air. His agonised screams echoed around Yami as the image burst into ash and was replaced by another sight.

Yami gasped.

Yugi smiled. "He's gone."

Yami opened his eyes again. He was back in his room, on his bed - now lying on top of Yugi and significantly more breathless. He gazed down at the other, taking in the serene but sweet amethyst eyes cast on such a lovely face.

"What's happening?" He whispered.

His Light gazed back, reaching up to brush back Yami's blond lock from his eyes. "I'm fighting your battles."

Yami stared at him. "How?"

"He scares you, so I scare him back." Yugi replied. He smiled. "You've been my Protector for far too long. Now it's my turn."

It was light a huge weight had been lifted from Yami's shoulders. His heart swelled with elation, suddenly feeling freer then he could ever remember.

"I will keep you safe." Yugi promised.

Without waiting for a reply, Yugi slipped his arms around Yami's torso and pulled him down again, kissing him deeply. Fireworks exploded behind closed eyes, all the pent up emotions and denied feelings finally flooding out full-force.

The memories flashed before Yami's eyes again, but he could feel Yugi's presence now, always there. And he watched the Destiny Sword slaughter Griffin under Yugi's hand, each and every time he showed himself.

Over and over the nightmares returned, but Yugi fought them and won and the passion continued until the nightmares faded with Yami's growing strength.

The boys opened their eyes, finding themselves under the bed sheets and very nude.

"How are you doing this?" Yami asked.

"Does it matter?" Yugi countered.

Yami thought for a moment.

"No."

"Then stop asking questions and ravish me."

Yami burst out laughing.

"I was serious." Yugi said pouting adorably.

"I'm sure."

Yugi giggled and snuggled into Yami's embrace. "I will fight him over and over until he's out of your head for good. I promise."

"So this is all my head then?"

Yugi pouted even more. "You do know I just offered myself to you, right? Practically on a silver plate. With whipped cream. And cherries on top." He thought for a moment. "And a cup of coffee on the side."

Yami considered this.

"Good point."

Yugi was already giggling as Yami switched their positions, towering over the other.

"I love you." Yami said, happier then he had ever been in his life. "So very much."

"I love you too." Yugi replied blissfully.

And swiftly switched their positions back again. He straddled Yami triumphantly, laughing at the other's surprised expression.

"You really should know I like being on top by now." Yugi said.

Yami laughed. "I did notice."

Yugi giggled and leaned down, eyes sparkling like a mischievous pixie. "Happy anniversary." He whispered.

And pounced.

* * *

There was a loud thump - and the arguments abruptly stopped.

Automatically everyone looked up.

A tiny wisp of masonry dust dissipated into the air.

They waited for a moment to see if they had to flee for their lives, half-expecting the ceiling to come caving in at any moment.

The moment passed uneventfully.

Then they waited another moment because things like this usually happened around this circle of friends.

This moment, thankfully, passed uneventfully too.

"Well," Leo said. "I guess they'll be just fine after all."

"No kidding." Joey said grinning.

"Who else would make so much noise?" Krysta added, pointedly ignoring the giggles floating down the stairs and covering Mokuba's ears, mimicking Seto's actions with Sakura.

Hiding a smile, Yue deftly flicked his wrist, magically closing the doors.

Then, all the friends looked at each other and exchanged ecstatic smiles. This really was the best news they'd heard in a surprisingly long time - even if it did embarrass them to bits.

"I still think we should watch 'Lethal Weapon'," Mokuba said breaking the quiet.

Tea groaned loudly. "Here we go again…"

The smiles vanished - and the arguments continued.

THE END

* * *

Note - well there it is...the end, the finale, the end of he road...it's over. i hope you guys enjoyed it as much as i loved writing it, this story has to be the most complex thing i've written to date and do so love this story and i shall miss writing it with all my heart. You've been a great audiance - review in droves!

Note 2 - there will be an epilogue!


	47. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

"So you guys are back together then?"

"Yes, we're fine."

"And you're both…okay?"

"Uh huh."

"And you're doing…_stuff_…again?"

"_Yes _we are. And you can really stop asking now."

"Just checking."

"I mean, we heard you and everything, but, you know - just checking."

"You guys make loads of noise anyway, so it was obvious, but -"

"_Okay_, I get the point. And everything is just fine, really."

There was a struggled silence.

"So…there's nothing to worry about then?"

Finally latching on to oddness of the interrogation, Yugi frowned, looking up from the newspaper and into troubled green eyes. "What d'you mean?"

Sakura twisted her hands in her lap. She wasn't much of a liar - well actually she was really rubbish at it, but she did know how to beat about the bush more then anyone else in the world.

"It's just, um…" Sakura began uncertainly. Then she bailed out completely. "Krysta wanted to make sure."

Scandalised, Krysta nudged her knee under the table, but focused on the issue in hand. She looked at Yugi seriously, looking determined to ask what had been playing on the two girls' mind all morning. Then her expression changed to one of someone unsure how to ask something potentially awkward.

The 'avoiding the issue' thing seemed to be contagious.

Krysta played with her hands, unconsciously mimicking Sakura, and then decided to plunge in one toe at a time. "It's just that - you know. It's, well, it's been a while since, um, and we just wanted to make sure -"

"We heard him last night." Yue said.

Yugi looked at the moon guardian. Yue had been quiet since Yugi had come down that morning until right then. And it was more then obvious he was the only one who was going to stop the girls hedging so badly - even if it did mean getting a couple of severe glances cast his way at being so blunt.

Yugi regarded the three of them for a long moment, watching the warning glances that the girls threw at the guardian that he shrugged off - and then Yugi sighed deeply. It had been a whole two weeks since the 'incident' - as it was now referred to - and things couldn't have been more back to normal.

Except for the one thing that they were talking about right then.

"It was just a bit scary last night, that's all." Sakura said anxiously, her voice straining a little. "I mean, he was _really _screaming -"

"I know," Yugi said quickly.

He could sense their anxiety all too clearly though their auras.

"Is he alright?" Yue asked.

Yugi nodded reassuringly. "He is okay. Yami just had another nightmare, that's all." He looked at them sincerely. "They're a lot less frequent now, but last night was a pretty bad one."

"That's the understatement of the century."

The little group glanced up as Yami walked into the kitchen and pulled up a stool at the breakfast bar.

"Oh, sorry, Yami," Krysta said quickly. "We were just -"

"You were worried, I know." Yami interrupted. He waved a hand dismissively. "It's alright and sorry for waking you last night."

Krysta shook her head. "You don't have to apologise."

"It's not like we were all sleeping." Sakura added, trying to be nice, but making Yue blush instead.

He sighed seeing the familiar worried looks casting his way. They'd been like this the past two weeks, but getting less and less noticeable. But now, the anxiety was more visible then ever. They all cared about him, he knew that, and what they needed above all else was reassurance.

"They're fading, they really are. I can sleep better and I'm not drinking a bottle of Night Nurse every night anymore. They are going away." Yami told them. "Just…gradually."

Everyone relaxed a little, even Yugi, who didn't even realise he had tensed up when Yami had entered the room.

"Is Yugi still fighting for you?" Yue asked.

Yami ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, except for last night. Things… fell down a bit."

"It was my fault." Yugi said instantly. "I shouldn't have forced you."

"Enough with the apologies, Tenshi. Seriously. It's fine."

Yami gratefully took the cup of tea Krysta offered him and sipped it before staring into the pool.

"What happened?" Yue asked, watching him.

"I tried to make Yami take the Sword and strike Griffin down," Yugi

explained. "It kinda fell apart and he woke up scared out of his mind."

Yami ran his hands through his hair again, silently but visibly berating himself.

Krysta squeezed his arm, her voice teeming with kindness. "Your subconscious isn't ready to fight him alone yet, Yami; it's nothing to be ashamed of."

Yami sighed again, finally looking up. "I know."

"Just give yourself some time." Yue told him. He glanced at Yugi. "And when you're ready - you can _take _the Sword from Yugi."

Yugi smiled. "And I won't have to offer it at all."

Yami smiled back, feeling better.

Krysta's heart melted. "How about we make some pancakes for us?"

That instantly made Yami perk up - and everyone burst out laughing.

"Did someone say pancakes?" Called another cheerful voice.

The backdoor was pulled wide open, letting in the warm sunny light of the midmorning and a burst of fragrance from the flowers in full bloom in the garden courtesy of Sakura's Flower Card.

It also let in two very dirty guys.

"Good morning!" Joey said cheerfully.

"Morning." Everyone chorused back, before taking in his appearance and starting to laugh.

"Did you go swimming in a tanker of oil or something?" Yami asked.

"You look like you just came out of a coal mine." Sakura added with a giggle.

Joey grinned back.

"Yeah, but there's nothing like good hard work!" Joey said happily.

As the teenagers recoiled at the sight of him, Joey got an idea. Not a particularly nice one either.

_Hmmm, the girls are easy but…_

Joey set his sights on Yugi with only a slightly manic glint in his eyes - and instantly ran for him. He spread his arms wide invitingly.

"How about a hug?"

Yugi fled.

"Oh yuk! You're covered in engine grease!"

"All the way baby! Aren't I so sexy?"

"NO!"

As the teenagers ran around the kitchen with everyone laughing at them, Leo walked in, dodged around them, and took the cup of coffee Sakura held out to him. For some odd reason he wasn't half as dirty as Joey was, enough that Yue even let him kiss him.

"The car's fixed." Leo told everyone, taking a sip of the coffee. "And Joey's been banned from it for a week so no one let him near it no matter how much he begs, bribes and pleads."

Joey stopped short, inches from catching hold of Yugi. "What - hey!" He glared at Leo. "I paid my debt - I helped you fix it! You can't ban me for a week!"

"Actually, you _didn't _pay your debt which is why I had to fix it for you. And you're still banned for a week."

Joey's jaw dropped. "It's _my _car!"

"Do you have the keys?"

Joey stopped and quickly patted his pockets. "Er, no."

Leo smiled. "And my payment will be watching you agonise over not having a car for a week and also the tragic mistake of putting _diesel _in a petrol engine." He shrugged. "Seems fair to me - kids?"

The others exchanged glances.

"Yeah, seems fair."

"Totally."

Joey opened his mouth to protest and then closed it realising nothing was ever going to work. After a moment, he gave in and laughed with the others. It had been a pretty dense mistake to make - not to mention costly. If Leo hadn't agreed to help him flush the engine and right the mistake, Joey would've had to actually buy a new engine or take a third job to pay another mechanic to fix the old one. If anything, Leo was being _unfair_. Joey had damaged his car much more then was worth a week's ban.

"Here, clean up." Krysta said handing her brother a cloth.

"Thanks Sis." Leo said, taking the towel and wiping the oil off his hands. "Oh, and someone tell Bakura too. And that I said so."

Joey made a face. "I wouldn't stoop that low."

"Really."

Joey gave Leo an odd look as he passed the towel to him, but didn't dispute the matter any more. Leo had decided and that was it. And it really did seem fair, a lot fairer to Joey then he actually deserved.

As Krysta and Sakura set about mixing the ingredients for the pancakes, the boys stripped off their overalls to their regular clothes underneath and threw them into the laundry before taking up seats around the table.

Leo smiled into his coffee cup as he took another sip. He was quietly enjoying Yue's lustful gaze over him. The guardian was trying to hide it, but was failing miserably - not that Leo minded at all. For someone always so perfect looking, Yue was turned on by the strangest things.

"What happened to Seto? Has he gone?" Leo asked.

"He's still on the phone." Krysta replied.

"It's been over an hour." Joey said, helping himself to some toast. "Who's he yelling at so happily?"

"It's Mokuba and he's not yelling." Sakura told him. "He's… negotiating."

"For what?"

"Free time." Yami said smiling. He gave Joey a knowing look. "You know you practically have to book an appointment to be with Seto. He's a workaholic remember? He's _actually _worse then Leo."

"Well he is around us most of the time these days." Yugi pointed out.

"Sure, but his phone still rings every five minutes with some catastrophe or another. He really can't let it go."

Just as Yugi finished Seto entered the kitchen, looking decidedly more harassed then before.

"How much did he get?" Yami asked smiling.

Seto's dark blue eyes blazed. "Two weeks in Hong Kong. Work free."

"Nice." Leo said, impressed.

"And next weekend at the Safari Park."

"Wow." Sakura murmured.

Seto looked away, glaring at no one in particular. "And another year of not cutting his hair."

Everyone stared at him.

Then Joey burst out laughing.

"I swear he's so much better at negotiating then you are." He said grinning.

That earned him a glare that rivalled Yami's, but it soon dissipated when Joey kissed him.

The group sat down together around the table, watching the girls making the pancakes.

"So you okay then, Yami?" Leo asked.

"I'm fine."

"You still do not seem it." Yue said.

Yami blinked and found his friends all looking at him again. Including Yue's feline silver-purple eyes that seemed to look right through him to the wall behind.

"I'm -" Yami hesitated, and then decided to go for the truth for all it was worth. "- getting there." He looked at everyone reassuringly. "I got over it once, I can do it again."

"That's the spirit." Sakura said enthusiastically. "Here, have the first pancake."

As Yami happily took the yummy treat and proceeded to drench it in honey, Joey looked at him curiously.

"How did you get over it in the first place anyway?"

"Played with Shia mostly." Yami replied, still captivated by his pancake, which he was now sprinkling chocolate chips over. "Had fun and shoved the memories away for happier ones. Worked really well." He took a bite of the pancake and was suddenly in paradise. "And I talked to the servants too, they were really nice."

Leo laughed softly. "Figures."

"What does?" Seto asked.

"Oh nothing, just what Yami used to be like."

Instantly Yugi perked up. "What did he used to be like?"

Leo glanced up to find everyone's gazes away from Yami and now staring at him. He smiled. Since the 'incident' aftermath when all the ancient embarrassing stories had come out, the other teenagers have been dying to know more.

"Why don't you ask him?"

"Because you know more!" Everyone chorused.

Yami looked at Leo shrewdly. "Why did you laugh anyway? What's wrong with talking to the servants?"

"Nothing," The other replied. "It was just odd at the time."

"Why?"

Leo sighed deeply and lay down the newspaper he'd been trying and failing to read. Yami was looking so innocently unaware; he just had to tell him exactly what he meant.

"Well you have to admit, Yami, you were a bit of a weird one."

Yami stared at him, his pancake forgotten. "I was?"

"Oh yeah, you were one strange little Prince." Leo laughed at his scandalised expression. "I mean, first off, the Royals or even the nobles didn't talk to anyone of low status unless absolutely necessary. The class system was notoriously strict back then, but you just walked around talking to the servants, following the kitchen hands around and laughing with the guards." He shrugged. "You were weird."

Yami looked even more affronted as laughter circled the table.

"From what Grandpa's told me, the Royalty never talked to anyone of low status." Yugi said. "They considered themselves gods."

"Hey, I wasn't the only one." Yami said defensively. "Shia did it too and he was also a Prince, so I thought it was okay at the time."

"It was only when you started, he followed." Leo pointed out. "You made friends with everyone regardless of status."

Yami shrugged. "I was young and kept in the Palace for most of my life, how was I supposed to know all this stuff? Besides, I was lonely and they were nice. The Royals were nothing special, believe me. The regular people around were much nicer." Yami made a face. "Better then the nobles anyway."

Leo shook his head sighing. "The nobles were the ones you were allowed to talk to - but half the time you were running away from them when they needed to discuss important things with you."

Yami smiled watching everyone around him laughing.

"They were boring and the meetings were stupid. All they cared about was their money and whining on about trivial things like dress codes in the bath houses. Even my father hated dealing with them."

"You were a Prince, Yami; you had to be present at your father's meetings and even at your own when you took over." Leo said. "You just seemed to run off every time."

Yami threw a mock glare at him. "Until you dragged me back."

"_Then _you'd go run off again - in the middle of the meetings!" Leo continued. "You would leave just to go play with Shia!"

"So?" Yami smiled angelically. "Like you said, I was a Prince, then Pharaoh - so I got to do anything I liked."

Leo sighed resignedly again as more laughter filled the air. He could see Eclipse's memories so clearly, feel them happening as if he was actually back there and feeling just what it was like to be little Prince Atem's Protector.

From Eclipse's memories, Leo gathered it had been a taxing time to say the least.

Krysta and Sakura joined the others at the table, laying down a platter stacked with pancakes in the centre of the table. They looked so delicious they were all gone within seconds.

"You and Shia were together a lot, weren't you?" Sakura asked sitting down beside him.

Yami nodded. "Oh yeah, you would've loved him. He was the most fun guy ever."

"Biggest handful ever too." Leo remarked.

Yugi shook his head. "God, babysitting them must've been hard work."

"You have no idea."

Yami laughed happily, pulling Yugi into his arms. "Yeah, but winding Eclipse and Mahado up was really fun."

He laughed even more at Leo's mock glare.

"Once, we took Eclipse's gold swords and hid them." Yami told everyone. "It seemed like such a good idea at the time - but when he couldn't find them, he went _ballistic_."

"No kidding." Seto said.

"You didn't." Joey said laughing.

"We did." The former pharaoh said laughing. "He was _so _mad. So we quickly put the swords back when he wasn't looking - but then we got caught and punished." Yami tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "For some reason we never did get one over on Eclipse, he always caught us no matter what."

"So how did he punish you?" Krysta asked.

"The usual, ten laps around the Palace grounds. No rest stops."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"The Palace grounds is the size of six football stadiums stacked side by side."

"Ah."

Joey thought for a moment.

"Damn."

Yami nodded. "Yep."

Across the table, Krysta stopped tipping the maple syrup mid-flow. "That reminds me," She said glancing over at her guardian. "Yue, did you finish - ?"

"Oh yeah!" Sakura interrupted, suddenly realising the same thing. Her brig green eyes shone as he looked at her guardian. "You've been working on it for ages - is it done?"

Yue was already smiling. "Yes Mistress."

The others glanced over at him curiously.

"Is what done?" Yugi asked.

Yue just smiled, his eyes glistening like pearls, and stood up.

Leo watched him. Yue was being his usual mysterious self - but somehow it seemed to be more concentrated in Leo's direction.

"What're you up to?" He asked suspiciously.

Yue managed to look innocent and devious at the same time, a look no one else could ever pull off. "You'll see."

Then he held a finger to his lips, quelling all further questions, and summoned his magics.

Everyone watched in awe as the guardian held out his arms, turning his palms skywards and closed his eyes. His hands shimmered with silvery moon magics, radiating in gentle wisps from his very skin.

As the magic glistened, an object gradually appeared, lying across his outstretched hands, firstly seeming like an image rippling in a moonlit pond and then finally solidifying.

The magics dissipated.

"What is it?" Yugi asked excitedly.

In Yue's hands lay a long but slender object wrapped lovingly in a white silk cloth.

Without a word, Yue turned to his lover, smiled at his surprised look, and offered the object to him.

Leo took it.

"I made this." Yue told him. "I made it for you."

Very taken aback but thoroughly intrigued, Leo stared at the item in his hands. All around him, the eager gazes of the teenagers pressed in on him, all dying to see what the gift was.

Carefully, Leo unwrapped it.

Azure blue blazed and gold glistened.

Gasps filled the kitchen.

Leo looked at Yue, stunned beyond belief. "Yue…" He murmured. "You made me a _sword_?"

The moon guardian smiled and nodded. "To replace the one you lost." He sat down beside his boyfriend again, looking deeply into the other's eyes. "You have been pining over other one for two weeks now. I hope this sword will fulfil that longing. "

Lost of words, Leo looked into his hands again.

The sword was an exact copy of the one Griffin had broken all that time ago - but still as breathtakingly beautiful as ever. The blade forged of invincible magical blue jade, glistening in the light more beautifully then diamonds could. The golden filigree trailed so intricately along the sword from tip to hilt in delicate patterns even a master goldsmith would take years of achieve.

Gently laying the new sword on the table for all the others to gaze in awe at, Leo held out a hand and summoned his magics. In a shimmer of crystalline blue magics, his remaining sword was called to his hand and he placed it alongside the new one.

The swords matched exactly. They were twins once more.

And suddenly, Leo felt like his old self again. Even if he'd been playing the role of life going on, he definitely hadn't felt normal inside until that very moment.

He shook his head slowly, unable to fathom how Yue had managed to do something so wonderful for him.

"Yue…" He said softly. "I…"

He looked at the other, seeing nothing but the serenity Yue seemed to live his entire life in when nothing bad was happening.

"You are good at hiding it, Lover." Yue said. "But there is nothing you can hide from me."

Leo gazed at him in awe.

"You have always used twin swords, even in your life before." Yue continued. "And without the second sword, you have seemed so unbalanced - incomplete. So I created a new one for you."

There was only one thing that Leo could possibly say - and he knew it would never be enough but it will have to do.

"Thank you." He whispered.

And kissed his lovely boyfriend.

"Awww," Said the girls.

"Good thing Tea's not here, she'd be crying." Joey said, mannishly turning away to get some dust out of his eye.

As the kiss ended, Leo looked at Yue again, this time a bit more lucid. "How did you make it anyway?"

"Oh!" Yugi interrupted suddenly. "Is this what you wanted the magical gold for?"

Yue nodded. "Yes, thank you for your help. Both of you."

"Sure," Yami replied. "We were just wondering what you needed it for. It was a weird thing to ask for to say the least."

"Hang on," Joey broke in. "You made the gold that the sword's made of? You _made _it?"

"Yep." Yugi said. "Definitely cheaper then buying it."

Joey's jaw dropped. "You can _make _gold?"

"No," Seto said as if talking to a child. "They can make _magical _gold - that's what Leo's swords are made of. Even blue jade doesn't occur naturally, it's forged from his magics only. Didn't you know?"

"Er… no."

"Didn't you _ask_?"

Joey thought for a moment.

"No."

Seto's eyes narrowed.

"You've seen Leo use his swords more times then you can count and you never asked _anything _about them?"

"Not really, no."

Seto sighed in an overly harassed fashion.

As the others continued around him, all praising and adoring the intricate craftsmanship of the swords, comparing them to even the Destiny Sword itself, Leo only half-listened. There was still one thing that seemed a little odd even by the standards of this group of friends…

"Yue," He started. "How -?"

"I borrowed your magics."

Everyone stopped.

Yue shrugged casually. "How else was I going to create blue jade to forge a sword? Only your magics are powerful enough to make it. "

Jaws dropped all around.

"You used my magics without me knowing?" Leo asked, stunned.

"You can do that?" Seto asked before Yue could answer.

The guardian nodded. "Sure. Leo's mine, so I can do anything I want."

A few sly looks crossed the table that Leo and the girls chose to ignore, Yugi chose to blush at, and Joey decided to snigger about.

"How did you manage that?" Leo asked.

"I summoned the Fifth Element while you were asleep." Yue explained. "She was very helpful."

As the group took this in, Leo looked at the swords again. Then he smiled and stood up.

Pushing his chair away from the table, he picked up his swords in either hand.

Leo felt his heart lift in a way he'd thought - after the last two weeks - he'd never experience again. The swords felt light in his grasp, homely and oddly warm.

And perfectly balanced in each hand.

There was a soft chuckle.

Leo glanced beside him and smiled seeing Yue doing the same.

Leo wielded the swords elegantly. "Better?"

His boyfriend laughed. "Much better."

Feeling unbelievably content, Leo carefully laid the swords on the table again and lovingly waved a hand over them, once more summoning his power and returning the magic to whenst it came until needed again. He looked at the clear table afterward and sighed. He felt as normal as he had been the night he'd driven home to deliver the cheesecake.

Complete.

Yue stood up beside at his lover, watching his reaction and laughed as Leo suddenly grasped him tightly and locked him in a deep kiss.

As the onlookers daintily looked away, hiding their giggles, none of them would dispute the fact that Leo and Yue really were cute when they were together.

Yami leaned back in his chair, feeling overly stuffed with pancakes and now brimming with happiness to be right here in this kitchen, surrounded by his friends. As things went, life was good. He'd even had pancakes.

He sighed as he followed the others and found a nice bit of floor to look at while Leo and Yue were doing their thing. He thought about the couple as he did so. It was easy to see why they never fought; it was like his and Yugi's relationship until - Griffin had tried to mess things up of course. Then again, he had noticed something a little odd with Leo since the 'incident' and seen him pining over his lost sword. But with the nightmares that still plagued him, he hadn't really paid much attention.

The nightmares flashed before his eyes again, making him shiver deep inside. They were fading for definite, but he knew they wouldn't be completely gone until he could face Griffin himself.

Yami had to take the Destiny Sword and slay the beast himself - and with all his friends and Yugi always there to help him, he knew he'd definitely succeed. All he had to do now was gain the courage to take the Sword and wield it.

The ethereal resonance of the Sword filled his mind with its chaste beauty. Simple yet sweet and still one of the most powerful items _ever_.

Yugi would offer him the Sword, his big amethyst eyes full of support and content in the truth that he could really do this…Yami just needed to reach out and take the platinum hilt into his hands…

"Yami, you're staring." Yugi said playfully.

Yami blinked coming back to reality. "Hmmm?"

"What're you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing. Just the Destiny Sword."

"That's hardly nothing."

Yami smiled thoughtfully. "That's true." He took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of pancakes still in the air. "I was just thinking about the last time I saw you actually holding it, and not in my dreams. You were holding it when you brought me back and your eyes were glowing white."

"Yeah that was freaky, wasn't it?" Joey said, overhearing them.

Yami nodded. "Well, at the time I didn't know anything was wrong, so that's the understatement of the century. Your eyes were pure white."

Yugi tilted his head to one side curiously. "Why were you thinking about that?"

"I just realised your eyes don't blaze like that in my dreams when you're fighting with the Sword."

Yugi laughed. "Well, I don't actually have the White Magics then, or the Sword. The dreams, the Destiny Sword and my actions are all in your head."

"Oh yeah…"

A strange quiet fell - and an opportunity arose. One that had been waiting a long time to show its face. And finally put to rest the very last piece of the puzzle created by the 'incident'.

The friends looked at one another, each well aware of this opportunity.

Except one.

Yugi happily dug into a cherry muffin, his big amethyst eyes lighting up at the simple sight of such a yummy cake.

"Um, Yugi?"

Completely unaware of anything but his muffin, Yugi glanced up in total bliss at the call of his name. Then the muffin's spell broke and he noticed.

Every face looked back at him with longing and need.

The muffin was forgotten.

"What is it?" Yugi asked.

There was a mass exchange of glances.

"Okay," Seto said, taking the plunge before anyone decide to bottle out and let the opportunity fly away laughing triumphantly. "There's one thing we still want, well, _need _to know because it's been driving us insane -"

Joey pointedly kicked him under the table and Seto halted abruptly. The worry suddenly crossing Yugi's features was way too unsettling.

"Not that we were going insane or anything." Seto said quickly. He was rapidly losing his thread, but as usual and just because he was Seto, he'd be damned if he gave up. "What I mean is - we'd _like _to know -"

"How did you unseal the White Magics?" Joey burst out.

He could feel Seto glaring at him, but he really didn't care. He had to know, since that moment Yugi had said he would 'explain later' he'd been waiting for it to be explained - and so had everyone else. Joey wasn't exactly the patient type, but he should've been given a medal for waiting _this _long.

Yugi looked at them for a long moment. All his friends were looking back with caring and love emanating so purely from their spirits. They had waited a long time to ask this question - and spent even longer trying to figure out how he'd done it in the first place. And finally, he was able to tell them.

Yugi held back a smile and a giggle.

To be fair, he'd been able to tell them at any point, he wasn't actually sure what had been stopping them. After all, the answer was so simple; they'd kick themselves the moment he told them.

They looked at him with all the expectations the gods held when they'd set about creating the world.

"So how did you do it?" Krysta reiterated, trying to contain her excitement. "How did you unseal the White Magic?"

Yugi closed his eyes - and finally broke it to them.

"I asked."

Expectations fell in record time. And confusion took its place.

"What?" Seto demanded.

"I asked for the White Magics."

"That's it?" Joey asked.

"Yes."

"Really?" Sakura pressed.

"Really."

The group took this in for a moment.

"Who did you ask?"

Yugi smiled, opening his eyes. Trust Leo to ask the big obvious question that was most important but somehow everyone else missed out on.

Leo watched him carefully. "The gods didn't grant you the power, you said that yourself. They couldn't even if they wanted to; they're not powerful enough. And the Angels are higher then the gods, that's what Hathor said."

That was true. Everyone conceded to that. But the question was still unanswered.

"So who did you ask?" Leo said again.

"I asked the one with the authority over the White Magics." Yugi replied. "I asked the universe."

There was more silence. Questions scrolled through each and every one of their minds, but none was deemed worthy enough to be asked. What could you possibly say to that? Except -

"How?" Seto asked.

Yugi took a deep cleansing breath and turned to his boyfriend. "When I thought I'd lost you to Griffin, I ran away." He told Yami. "I left here and I ran and ran. I told you and everyone else that much. What I didn't tell you was where I actually went."

Yami stared down at him, as curious as the others as to where this as all going. "Where did you go?"

Yugi blushed prettily. "The only place I knew I could find you; even if it is a relic from millennia past."

His boyfriend's eyes widened in realisation. "The museum? That carving of me from five thousand years ago?"

Yugi nodded. "I wanted to be close to you." He closed his eyes briefly. "And it was there that I asked for the power. I remembered everything Leo had said and the only way I was going to get you back was to get the only Magics capable of quelling the Black. So I asked the universe for it."

"Just like that?" Seto asked.

"Uh huh."

"Then what happened?" Krysta asked eagerly.

"The Immortals heard me and granted me the power to break the seal and release the White Magics." Yugi explained. "They knew I could protect her, and they judged me pure enough to wield the power to get Yami back and to save us all. And in return I will give back the White Magic, along with the Black and seal them back together once more. They liked me and accepted me, believing that I would keep my word, so they granted my wish."

The group exchanged stunned glances and finally all collected back together to stare at one person.

"The Immortals," Yue said. "You've mentioned them before."

Leo shook his head, looking at Yugi. "My magic only knows of them, but not who they really are."

Yugi glanced around his friends, his heart swelling with caring for each of them in turn. "The Immortals are the Angels. The ones chosen to wield the White Magics, but unlike me, they are ones that chose to stay."

"Stay?" Joey asked.

"Yes. They chose to return with the Whiteness and were sealed away with them rather then just return the power when their task was completed." Yugi thought for a moment. "Sort of like the guardians of the Seal, but they are made of the White Magics too. They are the ones who can grant the power to unseal the White Magics once judgement on the person has been made and accepted."

This seemed too confusing to even try to comprehend; even Yugi was finding it hard.

"So…the Immortals are the Angels that decided to stay with the White Magics, and they, sort of watch over the Whiteness and look after them - like protectors?" Seto reiterated. "And then they give the knowledge to unlock them to the next Angel when the Black breaks out and needs capturing again?"

Yugi tried to answer, but the right words didn't seem to exist. He knew Seto was on the right tracks, he just didn't know where the tracks were actually leading. The idea of the Seal and the two Divine Sides seemed so simple, but when you really thought about it, the complexity of it was enough to give you a headache.

"Look, let's not get into detail." Yami stepped in. "It's safely back it belongs and that's all we really do need to know. We won't know anything unless we actually ask an Angel anyway."

All eyes turned to Yugi.

"Don't look at me." The Hikari said holding up his hands. "I'm not in that job anymore. You all saw what happened."

"There is one more thing." Sakura said suddenly. "And I'd like to know before we lay all this to rest for the last time."

"What is it?" Yugi asked.

Sakura's glance went from Yugi to Leo. "It was something I was just thinking about when Yugi was still supercharged and the Black had been sealed. If there was a way to keep the Black sealed and the White free wouldn't that be a good thing? That's what the gods tried to do last time right? Only it didn't work." She shook her head in misunderstanding. "I know the powers have to be kept in balance with each other and everything, but if there was a way the Angels could keep the Black sealed, wouldn't that be a good thing to have the White rule the worlds?"

Leo smiled looking at her. She suddenly seemed so young, so idealistic. He took a deep breath and looked at Yugi, knowing he already knew the answer, an answer Sakura, as sweet as she was, couldn't quite comprehend just yet.

"Well think about it," Yugi said, noting the other's glance. "Only few are destined to be Angels, and generally not for every long. They can choose to remain Angels and return with the Magics, but they usually give it up once the balance is restored, just like I did. And the Angels, when they come into being, are the image of perfection as the White Magic sees them."

The little Hikari watched the sea of misunderstanding faces around him. They all didn't see where this was going, save for two.

"Do you really not see a problem with this?"

Joey tilted his head to one side. "Not really. The worlds being ruled by Angels seems alright to me."

"Yeah," Sakura said. "A perfect world sounds wonderful."

And there it was.

Yugi smiled.

"We are not perfect, far from it in fact." He said. "Even those chosen to be Angels are only perfect for so long in this world and then the power is returned or the Angel can return with it into the Seal."

Like a great tide, realisation spread.

"Oh," Seto said.

Yugi nodded. "If the White Magics were allowed to stay in this world, it would recreate it in perfection. Perfection as the White Magics sees it. Innocence knows no evil, knows no discord or malevolence, so this world would become perfect."

"But that's good, isn't it?" Krysta asked.

"A perfect world sounds great." Yami agreed.

"Yes," Yugi replied. "But only to a point."

He sat back in his chair. He was watching Leo and Yue, but no one seemed to notice this.

"Think about it." He went on. "Whichever way you look at it, people are people. And we are not perfect. You can't put imperfect beings in a perfect world; we'd destroy ourselves just the same, but in record time. All because we will crave lives that are as imperfect as us. Flawed people in a flawless world just wouldn't work no matter how much we think it could."

"Oh," Seto said again.

Yugi nodded. "The Immortals understood that, so they kept away until we could better ourselves in our own way. But the gods, on the other hand, were much more impatient. And so they didn't understand what the Immortals were trying to tell them and set about breaking the seal anyway." He smiled ruefully. "They thought to have a perfect world was the ultimate goal. But when the gods couldn't decide on what perfect _was_, they started to fight…only then did they realise they weren't perfect after all, just more so then we were."

Sakura sat back in her chair, suddenly getting the point. "Oh, that's what you meant."

Yugi smiled. "Perfection exists, but it exists differently for everyone who thinks about it. That is why the White isn't allowed to stay here anymore then the Black is." He slowly shook his head. "You just can't create one perfect world for us all. People will still find something wrong with it."

He shrugged.

"It's just what we do."

Yugi's words made sense. And it was all true. The gods themselves were far from perfect, Hathor had even said so, they fought like little children sometimes, and people were even further from perfect then they were. The Immortals were right to do what they did, right to stay away until the worlds were ready for their power. They were all much too young and irresponsible.

Yue blinked, suddenly finding everyone looking at him.

"What is it?"

Krysta looked at him carefully. "Did you tell Yugi all this?"

"No."

"Just sounds like something you'd say." Seto agreed.

"You know," Joey said. "All celestial and deep."

"And so obvious nobody sees it." Leo said reading the newspaper.

He smiled sensing the gazes shifting to him - and Yue already laughing softly.

"_You _told him?" Yami almost shouted.

"Should've known." Seto said glaring mildly at Leo.

"You _always _do this." Joey added, matching his lover's glare. "Always know everything but never let on until someone else says it."

"Would it have made a difference?" Leo asked, taking a sip of his coffee and not looking up.

"Might've." Joey replied defiantly.

"So no then."

"Credit where credit is due." Yue said, reading the newspaper over his boyfriend's shoulder. "Right, Yugi?"

Yugi laughed at the shocked looks that Leo and Yue were too busy ignoring to notice. Then he laughed even more when they slid slowly to him in disbelief.

"They may have filled in some gaps, but I gathered that much from what I learned from the power when I knew her." He told the group.

There was a collective sigh and the glares and shock subsided.

"I knew you two would have a hand in this somewhere." Sakura remarked smiling up at Leo.

Leo turned the page of the newspaper, finally glancing up. "Any idea what she means, Yue?"

The moon guardian shrugged. "Not a clue."

Sakura's gaze narrowed on them with mock suspions. "Hmmm."

The couple just carried on reading the paper together. They both knew the teenagers would get bored soon enough and stop.

"Anyway," Yami said after a contemplating moment of watchful gaze - and the first to give up on getting them to talk. "Any more questions? Or can we finally get off this subject?"

"Nope."

"Think that's it."

"I'm good too."

"Great," Yami said. He stood up and stretched. Then he smiled mischievously. "I'm taking Joey's car for a spin, anyone want to come?"

The air filled with cheers.

"Alright!"

"Let's go!"

"HEY!"

Joey glared at the lot of them, now all standing up and trooping after Yami towards the back door.

"It's my car! You can't drive it!" He stated hotly, folding his arms.

Yami smiled. "Sure I can, you've been banned remember?"

"But it's my car! If I'm banned you can't drive it either!"

"Why not?"

"The keys for one reason." Leo said.

He was still reading the paper as both teenagers looked over in surprise then hastily checked their pockets, glancing over all the tabletops.

"And for the second reason, Yami," Leo said. "You don't have a license."

Yami's jaw dropped matching Joey's. "Oh come on! This is too good an opportunity to miss! Joey's gonna blow a fuse if we drive his car around without him near it!"

"HEY!" Joey yelled again.

Leo sighed, finally giving up on actually taking in a word he was reading. "Ask Seto to drive then."

"No thanks, I actually wanna get some action this week."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "I would've thought you'd relish a chance to torture Joey."

"I would normally, but he holds grudges for a surprisingly long time." Seto replied.

Joey glared from one to the other, his face flushed with annoyance. "I am still here, you know."

"Not that it isn't fun, of course." Seto went on, ignoring him.

"Naturally." Leo agreed. "Why d'you think I banned him in the first place?"

Joey looked like he was on the verge of either bursting into tears or bursting into flames.

Yugi's sweet heart just couldn't handle it. "Come on guys, that's really mean." He said. "Yue, say something."

"Joey has already agreed to terms of punishment for wrecking his car, Yugi. There is nothing I can do." The guardian relied serenely. His feline eyes glistened. "Except enjoy this immensely."

"I could drive." Krysta offered before Joey could explode.

"Not on a Learner's license you're not." Leo instantly replied.

"Then why don't you take us for a spin?"

Leo looked up at the teenagers. Some were trying not to laugh, others were sympathizing with Joey, but mostly, they all seemed to want to enjoy this opportunity to the fullest.

As much as he had wanted to enjoy this too, it seemed to be going a bit far at Joey's expense. But then again, he did deserve the punishment, plus - it was really fun.

"The car's a mess." He said finally. "It needs cleaning first."

"I thought you did all that," Sakura pointed out.

"No, I fixed it, but it's still covered in engine oil." Leo paused thoughtfully. "Mostly because of Joey, come to think of it."

Once again, Joey went to protest, then stopped himself when he realised that was actually true. He saw the faces of all his friends around him again - and finally realised how much they were all just dying to burst out laughing. If that wasn't enough to lighten his heart - there was seriously wrong with him.

And then, despite all his former complaints - he finally began to laugh.

"There it is." Yami said smiling.

As the laughter burst out, he watched Seto smile, stand up, and then kiss Joey deeply. Then Yami shook his head in wonder, seeing once more just why the two of them hooked up in the first place. Even if their souls weren't split like his and Yugi's, Joey and Seto were as Light and Dark as much as they were.

"I think so too." Yugi said beside him. He giggled as his lover blinked in surprise. "Sorry, should really stop doing that, shouldn't I?"

His Dark laughed. "Read me as much as you like."

"I will." Yugi grinned.

"I guess we're having a car wash then!" Sakura announced. "Then it's teasing Joey time!"

Laughing, the teenagers headed out of the kitchen door and into the blazing sunshine, tugging Joey along with them.

Yami pulled on the back of Leo's shirt, drawing him back as everyone exited, leaving the two of them alone together.

The former pharaoh looked at Leo, noting the other's silence and patience. Leo wasn't saying anything for a very good reason - one that Yami couldn't help but make him instantly think of Eclipse all that time ago. Sometimes Leo - or Eclipse - didn't need to say anything at all.

"There may not have been any more questions from the others," Yami said. "But I do have something to say before this is finally buried."

Leo nodded. He folded his arms across his chest, watching the younger teenager, but never faltering in that kind but brotherly protectiveness he seemed to radiate.

"What do you wish to say?"

Yami smiled.

He had waited a very, very long time to say this. And for some reason it just never seemed to be the right moment. But now, it was as perfect as it was ever going to get.

"Servants talk."

Leo blinked, visibly taken aback. "Sorry?"

"Servants." Yami said again. "They talk. They talk a lot, and they love it."

Leo stared at him. "O-kay,"

"They talk because they know things." Yami went on.

"I see."

"They know the things people don't expect them to know, because everyone used to treat them like they were invisible."

"That's true."

Yami smiled suddenly. Leo really didn't know where this was heading at all. This was turning out to be more fun then he'd ever imagined.

"Servants talk because they know everything that happens." He explained. "Especially in the confined and restricted Palace. And all the important people around miscalling important things."

Yami watched the other carefully.

"And as you pointed out - I used to talk to the servants all the time."

Realisation flooded through Leo. And then he looked at Yami in a new light. Stood before him was the child his other life had raised, a pharaoh that rivalled no other in all qualities deserving of a great ruler, and also, a teenage boy with a real heart of gold - and a mind sharper then the blade of the Destiny Sword.

Leo smiled, for once in his life - and other life - not knowing something that was worth knowing.

"All these years," He said softly. "You knew."

Yami sighed deeply. "Never for sure, but now I want to know." He looked at Leo seriously. "Was it true?"

"Was what true?"

Yami laughed. "My father's right hand to the end."

"And yours later on."

The former pharaoh looked up into glistening azure blue eyes. "Was it really true?"

Leo smiled back, and then nodded. "It was true."

Yami sat down on the nearest chair. He really couldn't be standing right then. He stared at the floor, trying to fathom his own crowded thoughts. So many screamed at him, dredging up memories from so long ago, but never even paid much attention to until then. The first time he'd heard the murmurs, he had never believed it, but after watching his cousin's actions, heard the continued whisperings of the servants he liked so much…

It was just incredible that someone would even consider a sacrifice like that. At the time he'd had no idea, no clue about the sheer scope he would have to adhere too…

But Eclipse had known all along. He always had done.

"You were really going to take my place as pharaoh?" Yami whispered. "You would've done that for me?"

"Yes."

There wasn't a trace of doubt in his voice. There never had been.

Yami looked up again and found the other hadn't moved. His heart jolted seeing Eclipse standing there and not Leo. It was longing but by no means painful. Even if things hadn't worked out the way they did, he knew without a doubt Eclipse would've done it, he would've protected his little cousin from the harsh reality of ruler's life and given up his own in a heartbeat just to protect him until he was ready.

Eclipse already knew what it would've been like. Having to watch your own back at every moment to make sure no one was thrusting a dagger in, dealing with the nobles whining, going into battle for the empire…and eventually dying for it much too young…

He'd known all along what he was letting himself in for - and he's agreed anyway. All to save his little cousin until he was strong enough to do it himself.

"Thank you," Yami whispered from the deepest depth of his heart.

"Anytime." Leo said. He offered out a hand, dismissing the subject for the very last time. "Come on; let's go watch Joey yearning to be near his car."

Laughing, Yami took his hand and stood up, leaving the ancient plot behind as he did so.

"You do know Joey won't last the week, right?" He remarked walking towards the back door. "He treats his car like his baby."

"More like a pampered princess." Leo replied. "And not like an actual car."

Yami turned around and raised a sceptical eyebrow. "This coming from the car lover?"

"I may love my cars to bits, but I'd _happily _be run over in them before I put diesel in a petrol engine. He deserves this punishment." His eyes glistened mischievously and he pulled out the keys to the Corvette with a jingle. "Therefore, I think I'll drive today."

Yami laughed.

Shouts suddenly filled the air.

"Guys! HELP!" Yugi's voice yelled through the open back door. "Joey's trying to get near the car!"

"Let me near her!" Joey cried out. "I won't touch her I promise! Just a bit closer! Have a heart! COME ON! _Be gentle with that hosepipe_!"

Yami burst out laughing.

"Let's go." Leo said smiling.

And together they walked into the sunshine.

THE END

* * *

Note – That's it, it's over, god it's been a such a long run but I'm so happy! There was a point when I thought I'd get have time to finish this but here I am, and I'm so proud out myself!

I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I've loved writing it. even I read this over and over again, constantly making it better and better but I guess all good things must come to an end.

Anyway! On a lighter note – thank you all for your reviews and your encouragement and look out for my new fics based on the YGO circle and even more fun, angsty or hilarious stories!

Thank you again! Hugs all around!

Luv Nefertari


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